LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 



YOUTH OFTHE GREAT ELECTOR 




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LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 

Translated from the German by 
GEORGE P. UPTON 



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rHE Great Elector in 
his tenth year 



Life Stories for Toung People 



THE YOUTH OF THE 
GREAT ELECTOR 

Translated from the German of 
Ferdinand Schmidt 

n 
BY 

GEORGE P. UPTON 

Translator of '■^ Memories y'' ^^ Immensee^^^ etc. 
WITH THREE ILLUSTRATIONS 




CHICAGO 
A. C. McCLURG & CO. 

1909 



Copyright 

A. C. McClurg & Co. 

1909 

Published August 21, 1909 



©AUG 2] j909 
AUi25i909 




THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. 



€^ra[it^lat0r'^ Preface 



1/^ j — >^HE story of Frederick William, "The 
Great Elector," as he is known in history, 
begins with his birth and closes with his 
accession to power upon the death of his 
father. It is the story of his youth only, but in the 
youth we find all the attributes which made him so 
great as an Elector and as a man. Its scenes are 
laid in the period of the terrible and devastating 
Thirty Years' War, which had not yet come to a 
close when Frederick William became Elector of 
Brandenburg. Its characters, Ferdinand the Second, 
Frederick the Fifth, Christian of Denmark, Gustavus 
Adolphus,Wallenstein, Tilly, Maximilian of Bavaria, 
the Swedish Chancellor Oxenstjerna, Count von 
Mansfeld, the Empress Elizabeth, the Elector of 
Brandenburg, his high-minded wife, and his great 
son, are world-famous. Its progress throws a strong 
light upon that memorable war of faiths, which lasted 
more than a generation, and which was characterized 



# TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE 4i^ 

by bitter enmity and cruel atrocities on both sides, 
as has usually been the case in every religious 
struggle. It is a terrible picture of those days when 
Catholics and Protestants were struggling for the 
supremacy, but its dark and repellent details are 
rendered more endurable by the knowledge in this 
twentieth century that such wars and such cruelties 
in the name of religion are not likely to occur again. 
The world has advanced ; freedom of thought and of 
conscience is everywhere recognized and conceded. 
Sects may still disagree in doctrine, but the old 
deadly hatreds are extinguished. The central figure 
in this stirring drama is Frederick William, who, as 
the curtain falls, enters upon his career as the Great 
Elector. 

G. P. U. 

Chicago, July i, 1909. 



[vi] 



^anttxxt^ 



Chapter Page 

I In the Elector's Castle ii 

II An Unquiet Night 20 

III In November of the Same Year 29 

IV Two Princesses 31 

V The Battle 38 

VI Baron and Chancellor 44 

VII The Departure 51 

VIII The Sixteenth of February 55 

IX The Runaway 58 

X The Hunting-Castle 63 

XI The Stag Hunt 67 

XII A Retrospect 75 

XIII The Imperial Soldiers 84 

XIV The Restitutions Edict 87 

XV Colonel von Burgsdorf 91 

XVI GusTAVUS Adolphus 98 

[viij 



^ CONTENTS 4^ 

Chapter Page 

XVII In a Garden House at Berlin 102 

XVIII At Walgast 108 

XIX In Holland m 

XX In the Park 116 

XXI Sweden's Revenge 124 

XXII The Prince's Flight 126 

XXIII The Message 131 

XXIV Mother and Son 135 

XXV The Great Elector 137 

Appendix 144 



[viii] 



Mln^tvntimx^ 



The Great Elector in his tenth year . Frontispiece 
In the dark days 78 

Soldiers at the time of the Thirty Years* War 84 



[ix] 



©real dettor 



Chapter I 
In the Elector s Castle 




LL golden flashes the princely crown, symbol 
of the highest earthly power, yet terrible, 
often crushing, is its burden. This was 
the experience of George William, Elector 
of Brandenburg, who ascended the throne of his 
father in 1619. The political sky was thick with 
gathering clouds, which now and then threatened 
to let loose the Thirty Years' War. Hardly a ray 
of sunlight shone upon this sovereign during his 
twenty-one years' reign. 

It was the year 1619. All were rejoicing in the 
Elector's castle at Cologne, and the Electoress was 
the most joyous of all. Good news had come. 
The Protestant Bohemians had renounced alle- 
giance to Catholic Ferdinand the Second and chosen 
the Elector Frederick the Fifth of the Palatinate 
as their King. Frederick was the brother of the 



-•J!^ 



C^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR m 



Electoress. She already saw the crown gleaming 
upon Frederick's head, its rays being reflected upon 
hers also. She had received a letter from her brother, 
in which he wrote : " Thankfully and with joyful 
tears the Bohemians have elected me their King. 
How can I disappoint them ? At first I hesi- 
tated. But my high-minded consort said to me : 
' Will you refuse the outstretched hand of a King's 
daughter ? ^ Do you fear to mount a throne vol- 
untarily offered you ? I would rather eat bread at 
a King's table than carouse at an Elector's table.* 
This decided me, and I communicated to the deputa- 
tion my decision to accept the crown of Bohemia." 

The reader is already acquainted with the effect 
of this news upon the Electoress. Before reply- 
ing to her brother's letter, however, she decided to 
consult her two chief advisers. She could not speak 
with the Elector, as he was absent on a visit to 
Prussia, whither he had been called by important 
affairs of State. These two distinguished statesmen, 
Count Adam Schwarzenberg and Chancellor Pruck- 
mann, were summoned at once to the castle. 

Before they arrive, let us glance at the audience 
chamber where the interview is to take place. The 
walls are hung with damask tapestries and topped 
with broad, gilded cornices. The doors and win- 
dows are of white and gold, and gilded figures 

1 The wife of Frederick the Fifth was the daughter of King James of England. 
[12] 



# IN THE ELECTOR'S CASTLE §^ 

gleam on the ceiling. By the marble fireplace 
stand an antique vase of green porphyry and the 
candelabra, shaped like antique incense-burners, of 
gold bronze. The tables are of gray Silesian mar- 
ble and rest upon feet of ebony, richly bronzed. 
The chairs have luxuriously cushioned seats and 
elegantly upholstered backs and their woodwork is 
elaborately carved. 

The Electoress entered this room about four 
o'clock, accompanied by her brother-in-law. Mar- 
grave Sigismund. She wore a flowered silk dress 
with Brussels lace at the neck and upon the sleeves, 
and a diamond ornament flashed upon her breast. 
Margrave Sigismund, a young man of mild and 
genial appearance, was Governor of Brandenburg, 
but only so in name ; the real representative of the 
Elector was the Minister, Count Schwarzenberg. 
The Electoress seated herself and the Margrave 
stood by her side, leaning against a marble table. 
At a signal to the halberdiers, standing by the door. 
Chancellor Pruckmann, a small, spare, elderly man, 
entered, bowed deferentially and approached the 
Electoress. The latter, holding her brother's letter 
in her hand, acquainted him with what had occurred. 
As she continued speaking his countenance beamed 
with satisfaction. At last, he raised his hand, looked 
up and exclaimed : " Praise God for the victory our 
Protestant Church has won." 

[■3] 



4!<> 



§^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 



" But can it hold what it has secured without a 
struggle ? " said the Electoress. 

*' God, who has helped us now, will help us 
again," he answered. 

" Certainly, if those who are attached to our side 
do all in their power also," replied the Electoress. 
" But how do matters stand in our country ? You 
know we can do nothing without its approval. My 
brother asks in this letter whether he can surely 
depend upon us for money or for troops if neces- 
sary. You certainly understand the importance of 
the question." 

The Chancellor looked thoughtful. " It must be 
acknowledged," he said, "we cannot return an ab- 
solutely definite answer. Alas ! the unfortunate 
divisions in our own church ! On the one hand, 
Lutherans ! On the other. Reformers ! But we 
may yet accomplish in State affairs much that seems 
impossible if only we begin aright. Much de- 
pends upon him out there [pointing to the ante- 
chamber]. He enjoys the confidence of our gracious 
Elector — if he — " 

" He is a Catholic," suddenly interposed the 
Margrave. " You know that well enough. He 
has betrayed the confidence of my brother." 

Pruckmann signified assent. 

The Electoress replied : " Dear brother-in-law, 
perhaps you are going too far. Schwarzenberg has 

[h] 



•M«» 



^ IN THE ELECTOR'S CASTLE 4^ 

administered the affairs of the country for years with 
great wisdom." 

" Only the more completely to deceive,** said the 
Margrave. 

"Again, you are going too far,** said the Elec- 
toress, " but we will hear what he himself has to 
say. 

Schwarzenberg entered. He was a man of tall, 
commanding figure. The pallor of his sunken 
cheeks and high forehead spoke of physical weak- 
ness, the fire in his large black eyes of abundant 
mental strength. Upon his dark cloak he wore the 
insignia of the Grand Master of the Knights of St. 
John. His sword also indicated that he belonged 
to the order. It was long and broad, while that 
worn by the Chancellor was short and narrow. 

The Electoress communicated to him the con- 
tents of her brother's letter. He listened to her 
with a gravity which showed he was deeply inter- 
ested. At last he said : " Bohemia is a volcano 
which has been emitting fire and flame these two 
hundred years, thereby causing widespread devas- 
tation. One of its eruptions once swept across the 
frontier of Brandenburg. The gallant Bernese 
quenched it with their blood.'* 

Thereupon Margrave Sigismund answered : " But 
who aroused the Bohemians' wrath at that time ? 
Who took from them their noblest man, the pious 

[15] 



^If' 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

Huss ? While he lived peace prevailed in the land. 
It was his shameful death and the attacks upon his 
followers that kindled Bohemian fury/' 

Schwarzenberg doubtless thought to himself that 
his death was the outcome of his heresy, but he 
made no allusion to Huss and his times. He re- 
plied : " They are behaving now in Bohemia as they 
did then. The twenty-third of May of last year, 
when at Prague they insolently rejected the counsels 
of the Emperor, was a ruinous day for that country. 
They have severed not only the ties which bound 
them to their lawful Prince, but those which bound 
them to the Mother Church. How can such things 
happen without producing bitter strife ? " 

" Other consequences than you expect may hap- 
pen," replied the Margrave. '' You are an able man, 
Schwarzenberg; and yet it will be difficult even for 
you to prove that the Bohemians are in the wrong. 
Was not the right of public service and open confes- 
sion of faith granted to the Protestants in 1555? 
Has that agreement been kept ? You well know 
where the fire against Protestantism was kindled and 
where the sign was given that faith need not be kept 
with heretics. The madness began in foreign coun- 
tries, in Spain, in France, in the Netherlands. In 
the space of thirty years over 900,000 Protestant 
Christians of every condition and age were per- 
secuted." 
[.6] 



^§ IN THE ELECTOR'S CASTLE # 

" My dear brother-in-law," said the Electoress, 
" you are certainly going far away from the subject.** 

" I think not," answered the Margrave. " It is 
the same condition of things now. Herr Minister, 
I ask you this. Did not Protestant doctrine spread 
all over Bohemia under the mild and benignant rule 
of Maximilian the Second ? " 

" That it spread under the rule of the Emperor ? 
Yes 1 That Maximilian was mild and benignant ? 
No ! I call him weak and indifferent as to the 
Catholic religion, otherwise he would not have left 
his successor so difficult a task.'* 

" Why this discussion ? ** interrupted the Elec- 
toress. " Let us take up the matter in hand.** 

" Gracious sister-in-law, grant me a few minutes 
and you will understand how deeply I have this 
matter at heart,** replied the Margrave. He re- 
sumed : " Herr Minister, I would recall to you the 
son of Maximilian the Second, the Emperor Ru- 
dolph the Second. In a letter to the Bohemians he 
promised them the right of free worship. That 
promise is well known under the name of ' His 
Majesty's Letter.' Can you deny this ? '* 

" No,** replied Schwarzenberg, " but the fact must 
be taken into account that this letter was extorted 
from the Emperor by force.** 

"Then, you mean that it has no value?" 

" Not any," replied Schwarzenberg, calmly. 

[•7] 



4^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4i 

Surprise was manifest upon the countenances of the 
Electoress, the Margrave, and the Chancellor. 

" Truly," said the Margrave, " that is a conven- 
ient arrangement! Promise anything and when- 
ever the most solemn promises are made then break 
them. You mean to say that if the promiser is 
weak, physically or mentally, and force is applied, 
his promise is of no account. This infernal method 
was also followed by the Emperor Matthias and the 
late Emperor Ferdinand. Whom can the Bohemi- 
ans trust ? Tell me, Herr Minister, is it not noto- 
rious that the Emperor has declared he will get the 
Bohemians back into the Catholic faith, if not by 
kindness, then by force ? " 

" I have heard so, and I think he is sufficiently 
strong and determined to carry out his purpose," 
replied Schwarzenberg. 

" Let this discussion be ended," said the Elec- 
toress. " Herr Minister, what would you advise 
my brother to do if he were standing here before 
you and asked, ' Shall I accept the crown of 
Bohemia ? ' " 

Schwarzenberg replied : " I would implore him 

to decline it. A terrible struggle confronts your 

princely brother if he places Bohemia's crown 

upon his head. He is a mild, peace-loving man 

and not capable of bringing that struggle to a 

favorable close. Once it breaks out, it will spread 
[.8] 



^i^ IN THE ELECTOR'S CASTLE ^ 

devastation far and wide, the end of which who 
can foresee ? " 

The Electoress had heard enough. " I thank 
you, Schwarzenberg," she said, at the same time 
giving him permission to retire. But when the 
door closed, she said: "Now I know where I am. 
Schwarzenberg has greatly weakened my confi- 
dence," 

The Margrave and the Chancellor plucked up 
courage to address the Electoress once more. "Has 
the Protestant Union then been established for 
naught ? Shall the princes who established it aban- 
don it?" 

" God forbid," replied the Electoress ; " but look 
you. There stands opposed to the Protestant Union 
a union of Catholic princes. Schwarzenberg spoke 
of a bitter struggle which must ensue if my brother 
accepts the crown of Bohemia. Schwarzenberg's 
religious convictions may be opposed to ours but 
you will not deny that he has very clear eyes." 

Yes, clear eyes had Schwarzenberg. He saw in 
the events occurring in Bohemia the beginning of a 
mighty struggle. That it would last thirty years 
neither he nor any other could know, but he had 
the presentiment that he should not live to see its 
close. 



[■9] 



Chapter II 
An Unquiet Night 



n 



^=^HE sixteenth of February, 1620, was an 
important day for Prussia, for between 
three and four o'clock on the afternoon 
of that day, a son was born to the Elec- 



toress, Frederick William, the future " Great Elec- 
tor/' It is remarkable that the heir who fought so 
many battles should have been disturbed even in 
his cradle by warlike tumult. Upon the evening 
of the twentieth of May the nurse and chambermaid 
were together in the Prince's apartment which the 
Electoress had left to get some rest. The child was 
sleeping quietly in his handsomely decorated cradle. 
The two watched him a little while with pleasure, 
then seated themselves at a table upon which a wax 
light burned behind a screen, and began to spin. 
When they were fairly at work, the nurse said : 
" Our Princess little recks of the evil doings which 
are endangering our peace." 

" The Princess was anxious enough," replied the 
chambermaid, " when she saw the people collecting 
in crowds in the streets, but the castellan has reas- 
sured her." 
[ao] 



4^ AN UNQUIET NIGHT # 

" What were the people excited about ? " 

" They were alarmed because two thousand Eng- 
lishmen, sent by King James, arrived yesterday at 
Potsdam." 

"Will they enter Berlin?" 

" God forbid ! They are going in a few days still 
farther, to Bohemia. They are auxiliaries sent to 
the Elector of the Palatinate who has been crowned 
at Prague. But our people were apprehensive that 
they had come here because of the uprising six years 
ago. They have a guilty conscience." 
Uprising ? here in Berlin ? " 
Nurse, how little you know about things. I 
will explain* The blessed Elector about that time 
went over from the Lutheran to the Reformed 
Church. The people of Coln^ and Berlin were 
greatly incensed. They are nearly all Lutherans, 
and there was a great uproar. The governor. Mar- 
grave Johann George, had to clear the streets to 
silence the tumult, and was severely injured by a 
stone thrown at him. The crowd then attacked 
and demolished the house of Fiissell, the Reformed 
preacher." 

Extreme surprise was visible upon the nurse's 
countenance. " Have such things happened here ? " 
said she. 



(C 



1 Berlin and Coin, on either side of the River Spree, were subsequently united 
into one city. 

[ai] 



m YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4^ 



" Yes. They have happened here," replied the 
maid ; " and worse yet, they happened without in- 
vestigation or punishment. The Lutherans are in 
the ascendant and they are making the lives of Re- 
formers wretched to-day in the city and country. 
Perhaps now you understand what I meant when I 
said ' the people have a guilty conscience.' " 

" Yes ; now I understand. The people are afraid 
that these two thousand Englishmen are going to 
occupy the city." 

" Yes, and would that it were true. It would 
serve the people right. They would quickly 
settle matters. But I know it will not happen. 
Our Elector is much too gentle to adopt harsh 



measures." 



Hardly were these words uttered, when they 
heard a great noise in the vicinity of St. George's, 
now King street. 

" What is that ! " exclaimed the frightened nurse, 
rushing to the door. 

The maid stopped her, saying, " You must not go 
there. Open the window in the room on the river- 
side and look out. But no, you had better not. It 
will cool off the room and may make the child ill. 
No ; you stay here and I will look myself." 

Thereupon she went to the room, closing the door 
behind her, opened the tall shutters, and looked 
out. A great crowd of people was crossing 
[22] 



•Mr. 



m AN UNQUIET NIGHT ^M 

the long bridge, led by several torch-bearers and 
drummers. 

When she returned the nurse asked her what was 
going on. 

"You need have no fear," she replied, though 
the expression on her face showed that she was 
alarmed herself. " It is just as I told you. It is 
only the panic which the EngUsh have caused among 
the people." 

" But if they should really come, and the people 
should resist them, and there should be cutting and 
stabbing and bullets were flying, we might be hurt 
ourselves." 

The maid sought to calm the nurse although the 
increasing din around the castle and in the neigh- 
boring streets made her own alarm more and more 
perceptible. To allay their fears, they talked about 
casual things. One said to the other : " Our young 
master in the cradle is three months old and has 
not yet been christened. Alas ! how times have 
changed since the christening of the Margrave 
Sigismund in the nineties ! That was a festival 
indeed ! I remember it as distinctly as if it were 
but yesterday." 

" Oh ! tell me something about it." 

" Since you desire it, nurse, I will. Now pay 
attention. There were so many princes, counts, 
and nobles assembled that the castle could not 

[^3] 



4i^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

accommodate them all. The people of both cities 
took part in it. It was December and the snow- 
covered houses were decorated with fir and pine 
branches, which gave them a welcoming appearance. 
In front of the castle were five arches similarly decor- 
ated with wreaths and pictures. On one arch hung 
a ring and over it a crown. It also was surmounted 
by a figure of Fortune, poised upon a sphere, holding 
a red banner upon which was inscribed in gold letters 
the word 'Victory.' On the third day there were 
fireworks. Have you ever seen them? No? 
How well I remember them ! But how could you 
ever know of such things in Ukermark ? They 
were displayed on the evenings of the festival. 
About eight o'clock an attendant entered and said : 
' Just now the Elector called from the balcony, 
" Master Hans, when I give the signal, by word or 
whistle, set them off! " ' We put kerchiefs on our 
heads and went to the open windows. We had 
not to wait long when a cannon sounded. Then 
we saw fiery devices of every kind, serpentine balls, 
set pieces, bombs, showers of stars, and many hun- 
dred rockets, until at last it seemed as if all the stars 
in the sky were dancing around us. When they 
were all discharged, fifteen mortars thundered. The 
ground shook ; several hundred panes were broken 
in the castle, the cathedral, and other buildings 
near by. So much snow fell from the castle roof 



^^ AN UNQUIET NIGHT ^fe 

that the kettledrummers and trumpeters, stationed 
on an upper balcony, had to stop playing for a long 
time. You would have imagined that great alarm 
might have ensued, but it all went off well and not 
a person was injured. Oh, but it was not much 
like the times nowadays. Where can we get the 
money for such a celebration now ? " 

The nurse suddenly sprang from her seat. A 
shot was heard. " Oh dear ! " cried she. " The 
English are entering the city, and it means fighting.'* 

The maid assumed an air of confidence but wished 
in her heart that the night were well over. The 
cathedral bell struck one. After a little she rose 
from her seat and paced the room to and fro. As 
she was thus engaged she noticed a book, bound 
in red morocco, lying upon a table near the door. 
As she picked it up, she saw the nurse looking at 
it curiously, and said to her : " Why, nurse, is this 
your book ? Can you read ? " 

" I wish I could," answered the nurse. " Surely 
our gracious Electoress must have forgotten the 
book when she came in to see and kiss her little 
son before he went to sleep. Yes, now I remem- 
ber, she had such a book in her hand." 

" Let us take a look at it," said the maid, seat- 
ing herself at a table and opening the volume. 
" It was printed last year," she said. " It reads, 
* at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, by Michael Kochen, 

[^5] 



4i& YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4^ 

1619/ " After she had examined the title-page, 
which was ornamented with red and black lettering, 
she lightly turned over some of its leaves. The 
nurse looked at her like a hungry person gazing 
upon another at a bountiful repast. At last the 
maid noticed her eager look and said : " Shall 1 
read you some of it ? *' 

" I should be delighted to have you do so ! *' 
" You must first know that a regular Franco- 
phobist wrote this book." 

" Are there such people as Francopho — ** 
The maid was only restrained from a peal of 
laughter by fear of waking the child. "Ah ! You 
are still way back in Ukermark," she said. " Franco- 
phobists is the name of persons who cannot abide 
anything that is French." She turned the leaves 
once more and then said : " Listen to what he has 
written." She read a long tirade against the French 
and their influence upon German life, habits, litera- 
ture, music, and attire. " What does this man know 
of our attire? " said she. 

The nurse meanwhile sat staring at the maid's 
head-dress. The latter was irritated and said : 
" What are you looking at, you marigold of Uker- 
mark, with your taffeta head ribbon ? You would 
gladly dress like me if there were no regular style 
of dress prescribed for you." 

They would have resumed their casual talk had 

[26] 



^i^ AN UNQUIET NIGHT 4i^ 

not the tumult increased around the castle and in 
the streets near by. The maid immediately betook 
herself to the dark room and looked out of the 
window. Armed men were rushing about excit- 
edly. She saw military officers and heard wild 
cries and curses, shouts and laughter. Now and 
then a shot was fired. 

The maid returned and said : " The little Prince 
will be scared to death by this noise." She had hardly 
spoken when firing was resumed near the castle. 
The child started up and opened his eyes, but im- 
mediately closed them again. " Ah ! " said the 
nurse in a low tone, " see how he doubles up his 
little fist and how impatiently he moves about. Just 
wait, you people, wait till he is grown up." 

" Yes," said a voice, " God grant he may live to 
grow up a bold, brave man." 

They turned in surprise and saw the Princess in 
the room. 

The tumult lasted all night, sometimes dying 
away, again breaking out. About midnight there 
was an excited gathering in front of the house 
of Minister Schwarzenberg. The Count at last met 
the people and assured them that their fears about 
the English were groundless. He said he had 
further taken the precaution to send out patrols to 
confirm the truth of his statements and they had no- 
where encountered the dreaded English. In the 

[^7] 



?M^ 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR m 



'7t«» 



rnorning good news came from all sides, whereupon 
the people quietly returned to their homes. 

It was not until the thirtieth of July that the 
christening of the Prince took place, for up to that 
time they had not succeeded in raising the necessary 
money. They had also vainly awaited the return 
of the Elector. Affairs in Prussia were in such 
confusion that he could not think of leaving for a 
long time. The witnesses of the christening were 
the young Prince's grandmother, Electoress Anna 
(widow of Elector Johann Sigismund), Princess 
Marie Eleonore, subsequently Queen of Sweden, 
Katherine, who later married the Transylvanian, 
Prince Betler Gabor, both sisters of the Elector 
George William, and lastly, the Brandenburg nobil- 
ity and representatives of cities on both sides of the 
Oder, who were invited but could bring no other 
christening gift than the loyalty they owed to the 
future master of their country. 



[28] 



Chapter III 

In November of the Safne Tear 




IX months have passed since that unquiet 
night. The people of both cities were 
greatly excited during that time by some 
momentous events. To understand them, 
we must narrate some occurrences which happened 
in the Spring. 

About that time a Swedish captain appeared at 
the Elector's court — a handsome man of kingly 
bearing. He remained in Coin about fourteen days 
and was very often at the castle. It was universally 
supposed he was engaged upon a secret mission. 
This was actually the case, but the people were mis- 
taken : they thought he was acting for others, while 
in reality he was acting for himself This captain 
was no other than Gustavus Adolphus, the chival- 
rous King of Sweden. Reports of the beauty and 
goodness of the Princess Marie Eleonore, sister of 
the Elector, had drawn him to the Brandenburg 
court. He wished to ascertain by his own observa- 
tion whether these reports were true. He found all 
that he wished — modesty, intelligence, personal 
charm. He made her acquaintance, pressed his 

[^9] 



•*!«* 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 



•»!«• 



suit, and she confidingly placed her destiny in his 
hands. 

Not long after this, Oxenstjern, the Swedish 
Chancellor, escorted the royal bride to Stockholm, 
where the marriage was to be celebrated. The 
people then discovered for the first time that the 
Swedish captain, in whom they had been so deeply 
interested the past six months, and King Gustavus 
Adolphus were one and the same person. One 
may well imagine that the event was the subject of 
eager discourse for a long time, and that the union 
between Brandenburg and Sweden was hailed with 
rejoicing. 

The popular interest, however, was still greater in 
the future of Bohemia and its chosen ruler. The 
coronation of Frederick of the Palatinate was cele- 
brated with brilliant ceremonies, the first act in a 
momentous drama. Bohemia was now the country 
in which the strength of Catholicism and that of 
Protestantism were to be measured for the first time. 
The Emperor was opposed to the Catholic union. 
The news reached Berlin and Coin that a strong 
army was approaching the capital of Bohemia, led 
by Maximilian of Bavaria, whose prowess as a 
soldier had made his name one to be dreaded. 

What days, what nights, the Electoress passed, 
alternating between hope and anxiety ! And more 
and more her hope grew fainter. 
[30] ^ ^ 



Chapter IV 

Two Princesses 




S has already been related, the Electoress 
widow Anna, mother of the reigning 
Elector, was invited to act as godmother 
at the christening of the new-born Prince. 
She belonged to the Lutheran Confession, and her 
hatred of the Reformers was so intense that, while 
she was willing to enter her name as a witness in the 
church book she could not bring herself to attend 
the ceremonies in the cathedral. The Electoress 
made several ineffectual attempts to conciliate her 
mother-in-law. It may be well imagined that the 
incident greatly excited the people. The number of 
Reformers in the two cities, as has been said, was 
insignificant and nearly every one sided with the 
widowed Electoress. She was so ardent in her zeal 
that she even employed the Lutheran minister, Bal- 
thazar Meissner, to preach both the last Sundays of 
her stay in the large hall of the castle. She also 
invited many prominent citizens of both the cities 
to attend the service. As the people were leaving 
the castle on the last Sunday they met the Electoress 
coming out of the cathedral. She imagined that 

[31] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

they did not greet her with their usual deference 
and even fancied that many of them showed signs 
of marked disrespect. 

On the following Monday the Electoress sum- 
moned the wife of a halberdier who had attended 
the castle service on the preceding day. The 
woman was much alarmed, fearing that the Eiec- 
toress was going to rebuke her ; but the latter re- 
assured her. " As to this matter," she said, " neither 
my husband nor I have any desire to prevent you 
from doing what your conscience approves, but I 
claim, and Sigismund also, that we shall have the 
same right and that we shall pray to our common 
Heavenly Father in the Reformed Church without 
being condemned for it." Then she questioned 
the woman about Balthazar Meissner's sermon, what 
he had said and whether he had bitterly attacked the 
Reformers. " Is it true," she inquired, " that he 
assailed my brother and the Bohemians ? " 

After some hesitation the woman replied: "Yes! 
He invoked the wrath of Heaven upon the Bohe- 
mians and also — upon their new King. He also 
implored divine help for the Catholics in their con- 
test with the detested Reformers." 

" Go on ! Tell me all, conceal nothing." 

After some cross-questioning, the Electoress as- 
certained that Balthazar Meissner had stigmatized the 
Reformers as children of the devil and worse even 
[3^] 



^M TWO PRINCESSES ^^ 

than the Catholics, some of whom might expect the 
divine mercy. Furthermore he had said that when- 
ever a country fell into the hands of a ruler who 
was one of these heretical Reformers, the devil 
erected an altar upon which the salvation of his 
subjects was sacrificed. 

After the Electoress had dismissed the woman, 
she reflected for some time upon the course she 
should pursue. At last she decided to remonstrate 
with her mother-in-law so that such dangerous pro- 
ceedings should not be repeated. She went at once 
to her apartments, sent in her name by a maid in 
waiting, and was admitted. Though both were 
under the same roof, the two ladies had not seen 
one another for several weeks. The manner of their 
meeting showed their alienation. The Electoress 
bowed low ; her face was pale, and its expression 
that of one who was very ill. The Princess Anna 
stood erect and motionless some seconds and re- 
garded her with piercing glances from her black 
eyes. Her gray locks shadowed a flushed face, the 
features of which revealed a crafty nature. Politely 
acknowledging her deference, she motioned the 
Electoress to be seated and then asked in a cutting 
tone : " What is it that has brought you to your 
mother-in-law? Surely something very extraordi- 
nary must have happened." 

The reply came in a clear, firm voice. "Yes, 
3 [33] 



4t^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4i 

something very extraordinary has happened. I, the 
Princess of the country, have been insulted under 
my own roof, by a priest — I and my husband and 
the government. And who has brought this shame 
upon us ? My own mother-in-law, the mother of 
my dear husband ! She protected this priest, she 
summoned him here, she invited citizens here to 
listen to insults of myself and assaults upon my 
religion, and to expose me to their hatred and de- 
rision. O my God ! when ever before has a Prin- 
cess been so treated ? " She burst into tears. 

With the utmost coolness the other replied : 
" Nathan also went to the house of the King, and 
his words were a two-edged sword. He came to save 
David from destruction, and, lo, he succeeded ; for 
David repented. The pious Balthazar came to this 
house and denounced the apostasy of those who are 
floundering about in the morasses of the heretical 
Reformed religion. Oh, that his words were a 
trumpet blast to rouse you from your sinful slum- 
ber and that you, like David, might repent and 
acknowledge your error." 

The Electoress in the meantime had regained 
composure. " I have not come here," said she, " to 
engage in useless dispute with you about the doc- 
trines of the Lutheran and Reformed faiths, but I 
may remind you that if you assail us so shamefully 
you cannot blame the Catholics for assailing you. 
[34] 



^M TWO PRINCESSES ^^ 

You call us apostates and you condemn the Catholics 
for their persecution of you, and yet in your heart you 
deny us in like manner the freedom of conscience ! " 

" Well ! when we see hearts in the power of Satan, 
should we not cry aloud ? " 

" How can you be so bitterly unjust ? " replied 
the Electoress. " Should you not hesitate before 
you insult a religion in which not only I but my hus- 
band, your son, believe — a religion indeed in which 
a man believed who for a long time was the nearest 
one to you on earth ? " 

The other sprang from her seat and paced the 
room to and fro with eyes blazing with excitement. 
"My Sigismund!" she exclaimed at last with 
clasped hands and upturned eyes. " My Sigismund, 
that you also should have apostatized from the true 
faith ! Was it the longing for those possessions on 
the frontier of Holland which you hoped to secure 
by your renunciation of your religion, that blinded 
you? Or, had the Evil One — " 

" Horrible ! " said the Electoress. " You spare 
neither the dead nor the living, neither friends nor 
kinsmen. How dare you assert that your husband 
went over to the Reformed Church for the sake of 
those possessions ? I am as sure that was not the 
case, as I am that you are standing here." 

" Sure," said the Electoress Anna, " sure ! tell 
me what grounds you have for your certainty." 

[35] 



§M YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^}^ 



*iii 



"They are simple and, I think, convincing. Every- 
one says that when your husband made the change, 
he intended if possible to acquire those possessions, 
but was conscious at the same time that he would 
lose Lutheran Brandenburg. On the one hand, a 
little gain ; on the other, an immense loss. Had 
he been influenced by material considerations, do 
you suppose, does any one suppose, that he would 
not have decided to remain with the Lutherans and 
secure a great gain, rather than go over to the Re- 
formers and incur a great loss ? His action is con- 
clusive proof that his renunciation was a matter of 
conscience, and conscience alone." 

" You may be right,'* exclaimed the Electoress 
Anna, with a sigh. "My husband has told me this 
and also my son, and yet, and yet — " After a 
pause she continued : " But grant it were so ! Is the 
power of the Evil One so great that it can thus 
deceive the conscience ? " 

" We think otherwise," replied the Electoress. 
" We hope, if we strive to live rightfully and in ac- 
cordance with our faith, to enter the Kingdom of 
Heaven, but we do not believe that its doors of mercy 
are closed against others. We tolerate other beliefs. 
We do not charge them with being heterodox." 

The princely widow came close to the Electoress, 
looked at her fixedly, and said : " I will tell you just 
how you stand. You Reformers have a very small 
[36] 



# TWO PRINCESSES 4^ 

following in the country, therefore you are tolerant. 
Should your numbers increase, then — *' 

" Then, do you mean we will be as intolerant as 
the Lutherans ? Never ! " 

The conversation had taken a turn which did not 
please the widowed Electoress. She could no longer 
talk reasonably or dispassionately. She turned sud- 
denly and asked the following questions: "What 
was your real purpose in calling upon me ? Tell me 
truly. Had you not rather I would leave the castle, 
the city, and the country ? Place your hand upon 
your heart and tell me no untruth." 

The Electoress replied : " God is my witness that 
I shall speak the truth. I take your hand, beloved 
Princess Mother, and implore you and yours to live 
in peace with us under this roof, to refrain from 
assailing the faith of others, and to prove the excel- 
lence of your belief by your conduct. Dear mother, 
let us set the country an example of the peace which 
we find in our common love of the Saviour." 

" No ! No ! the serpent of Paradise is hidden in 
your words. No ! a long-cherished thought impels 
me to instant decision. A few days hence I shall 
go from here, far from this wretched country to a 
land where genuine Lutherans may be found. Say 
no more. I wish to be alone." 

A silent adieu and the Electoress left the apart- 
ment. 

[37] 



Chapter V 
The Battle 




iHANCELLOR PRUCKMANN went 
to the castle to seek an audience. He 
entered in his usual deferential manner 
but the Electoress had not yet returned 
from the apartment of her mother-in-law. As he 
was traversing the corridor, he suddenly heard his 
name called behind him. He turned and beheld 
her. A look of distress came into his face and he 
bowed very low, perhaps to conceal his countenance 
from her gaze until he could master his emotions. 
His expression did not escape the sharp eyes of the 
Electoress, who was already filled with gloomy 
anticipations. Her presentiment as to the fate of 
her brother and Bohemia was confirmed by his 
looks, and she said in a tone of alarm: " Pruckmann, 
you are the bearer of evil tidings, are you not ? Oh, 
God ! What am I to hear next. Quick ! follow 
me to my apartment." 

When they were together there the Electoress 

paced up and down the room with clasped hands, 

trying to regain her composure. At last she seated 

herself and said to Pruckmann, who remained stand- 

[38] 



4^ THE BATTLE 4^ 



ing by the door like a statue, and looking down : 
" Now, Pruckmann, I am strong enough to hear 
whatever you have to say. Tell me briefly and 
quickly all that has happened." 

It seemed as if the flowers on the carpet had 
riveted Pruckmann*s gaze. He did not look up, but 
after a little said in a hollow voice : " So be it. I 
will tell you briefly. Your brother is no longer 
King of Bohemia. He was defeated, and has had to 
fly." 

Another pause ensued. As Pruckmann heard no 
sound from the Electoress he looked up. Her 
face alarmed him beyond all measure, for in reality 
she looked like a dead rather than a live person. 
She was barely able to gasp out: "Pruckmann, are 
you certain of this ? " 

" Alas ! as certain as I know that this hand is 
mine ! " 

The Electoress*s head suddenly dropped upon 
the arm of her chair. Pruckmann rushed to an ad- 
joining apartment and sent her maids to her. He 
remained there but had not waited long when he 
heard her voice, which had been silenced by her 
convulsive weeping. When at last he was sum- 
moned he found her remarkably composed. 

" Now, Pruckmann, give me, as far as you can, 
an exact account of what has occurred. Have you 
the news by word of mouth or by letter ? " 

[39] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

" I received this letter two hours ago." 

" Leave it with me. I will read it later. Now 
tell me what you know." 

" Gracious Princess, I should not merit your 
confidence did I not tell you the whole truth." 

" Pruckmann, tell me everything, in the fewest 
words." 

" Your princely brother lost the devotion of the 
Bohemians in many ways : he showed himself too 
fond of splendor ; he offended the Bohemian leaders 
in the army by disregarding the movements of the 
German general ; and, worse still, he embittered the 
Bohemian Lutherans by his unmistakable expres- 
sions of contempt for their faith. I have known 
these things for several weeks, and you know that 
as far as it was my duty, I gave you intimations of 
them." 

" Yes ; and I have not failed to communicate my 
opinions about these things to my brother freely, 
but as now appears in vain." 

"Your princely brother deemed himself too se- 
cure. His advisers must have failed in their duty. 
He soon discovered, however, the weakness of his 
situation. The Catholic princes rallied promptly at 
the call of the Emperor, but none of the princes who 
had joined the Protestant Union came at the King's 
summons. The Elector of Saxony — he belongs, 
you know, to the Lutheran confession — sent word : 
[40] 



§^ THE BATTLE 41? 



* I would rather unite with the Turks than with 
you. 

The Electoress was growing impatient. Pruck- 
mann — and this was a frequent failing of his — 
dwelt upon matters which she knew already as well 
as he. 

" The result of all these acts was the failure of the 
Bohemian army to meet the emergency when the de- 
cisive hour approached." 

" At last you are coming to the point, Pruckmann. 
Tell me when and where the battle occurred." 

"The battle took place fourteen days ago, on the 
eighth of November, at White Mountain, near 
Prague." 

" Did Maximilian of Bavaria lead his army against 
my brother in the battle ? " 

" He led the army of the Catholics in person. 
But your brother was not there." 

" Not there ! Where was he, then ?" 

" The news of the defeat reached him at dinner, in 
Prague. He hurried to the ramparts and beheld 
his army in full retreat." 

" And now ? " 

" Your princely brother asked for an armistice of 
twenty-four hours. Only eight was granted. He 
took advantage of the armistice to fly, his wife and 
children and the leaders following him." 

The Electoress breathed heavily. " Is everything, 

[41] 



4?-!. 



m YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR §f 



ti^ 



then, lost ? " she said, after a pause. " What does 
the black raven say about it ? [She meant Schwar- 
zenberg.] Ah ! he has a keen scent." 

Pruckmann replied : *' I spoke with him just be- 
fore 1 came here. God grant his words do not 
come true. He says with the crown of Bohemia 
stands and falls the Electorate of the Palatinate." 

"Bird of ill omen!" exclaimed the Electoress. 
" He means that both King and Elector are lost 
together. But that is not yet the case. My brother 
is Elector of the Palatinate by divine right and jus- 
tice, and he is still, in fact, King of Bohemia. The 
dignitaries of the country placed the crown upon his 
head before the whole world. One battle is lost. Can- 
not a second be won ? What do you say to that ? " 

" This letter says the flight of your brother was so 
precipitate that he forgot to take not only his private 
papers but his crown with him. Without doubt they 
are at this moment in possession of the Emperor. 
Losing the crown, the outward symbol of power, I 
fear he has lost the confidence of the Bohemians, 
and especially the confidence of the Protestant party 
of Germany." 

" And what do you both think my brother's next 
step will be ? " 

" Gracious Princess, I have no gift of prophecy. 
Schwarzenberg fears that your brother and his family 
will seek refuge in your court," 
[42] 



4^ THE BATTLE ^^ 



" Does Schwarzenberg fear that ? " 

" Alas ! yes. Your brother is an enemy of the 
Emperor. As his reception here would be dan- 
gerous, Schwarzenberg thinks it must be refused, 
however painful it may be." 

" My God ! " exclaimed the Electoress in a de- 
spairing tone, " has it come to this, that my brother 
is to be banned as an outlaw ? " 

Pruckmann shrugged his shoulders, as he said : 
" Schwarzenberg thinks — " 

The Electoress wrung her hands. Pruckmann 
was about to go on. " It is enough," said the Elec- 
toress. " I cannot bear more to-day." She gave 
him a sign to leave. 

As he passed through the courtyard he looked up 
at the windows of the apartment he had just left and, 
as he pursued his way, said to himself: "Perhaps 
to-day this or that one passing here has also looked 
up with envious glances and has thought that the 
greatest happiness on earth is found in a princely 
crown. O foolish ones, who thus think ! Truly 
princes buy dearly enough the favors which you 
cannot have, with sorrows you cannot know." 



[43] 



Chapter VI 

Baron and Chancellor 




HANCELLOR PRUCKMANN sat at 

his richly carved oak desk, finishing a let- 
ter to the Elector, who was still in Prussia, 
as he had just been informed by Baron 
Leuchtmar. The Baron, a large, powerfully built 
man of about fifty, had a somewhat serious, even 
solemn, expression of face. The important duty of 
caring for the education of the young Prince 
Frederick William had recently been assigned to 
him. He was to enter upon that duty when the 
Prince, now in his fifth year, reached the age of 
seven. 

Leuchtmar, who had just returned from a journey 
to Austria and Bohemia, had much of importance 
to communicate to his friend the Chancellor, as 
they sat over their wine. Pruckmann began the 
conversation : " Is it true that a wealthy Bohemian 
nobleman has offered to recruit an army for the 
Emperor? " 

" Yes, it is true." 

" His name ? " 
[44] 



# BARON AND CHANCELLOR §^ 

" Wallenstein." 

" Ah ! that audacious general ! I remember to 
have heard that he did the Emperor good service 
in his time against the Venetians, and that he was 
rewarded for it with the governorship of Moravia." 

" You are right," replied Leuchtmar. " And 
while governor he enriched his own coffers much 
faster than he enriched the public treasury. Some 
years ago he was forced to resign his position and a 
sweeping investigation was ordered, but he succeeded 
in silencing the principal witnesses against him by 
buying them off." 

" Then he is very rich ? " 

" He is exceedingly rich, as you may know by 
this fact. You remember the revenge which the 
Emperor took, when Frederick was defeated at 
White Mountain and the Bohemians were helpless 
at his feet ? " 

" Only too well," replied Pruckmann. " He vin- 
dictively waited three months and then gave the 
signal. The tiger stretched out its cruel claws and 
seized its victims, who fancied themselves secure. 
He consigned seven hundred and twenty of the 
foremost inciters of the uprising to the scaffold, and 
stripped them and thousands of the common people 
of their possessions." 

" And do you know, Herr Chancellor, who pur- 
chased the larger part of the possessions of these 

[45] 



^^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^$ 

victims ? None other than Wallenstein. He 
bought sixty large and small estates from the 
Emperor for only seven milHon gulden, and in the 
following year made other purchases which cost 
him three and a half million gulden more." 

The Chancellor regarded this statement with the 
utmost astonishment. 

" Yes," continued the Baron, " Wallenstein pos- 
sesses a kingly fortune and lives like a king. I do 
not believe any prince in Europe lives more luxuri- 
ously. Many indeed are poor compared to him. 
I will give you some idea of his immense wealth. 
He bought a hundred houses in Prague and had 
them demolished to make room for the palace he 
built. What is an electoral castle compared with 
that palace ? You ought to see his stables. The 
arches are supported by marble columns and the 
horses stand in marble stalls." 

" I heard something of this, but set it down as a 
romantic story." 

Baron Leuchtmar shook his head : " It is the 
hard truth, and it is all the harder because without 
any doubt the inexhaustible wealth of this man will 
bring great trouble to us and the Protestants." 

The Chancellor recognized this truth by his anx- 
ious expression. Leuchtmar continued : " Tell me, 
Herr Chancellor, how many halberdiers you have 
in the castle service." 

[46] 



41^ BARON AND CHANCEL LOR §^ 

" Twelve in all, dear Baron." 

" Compare that with the number in Wallenstein's 
palace. Fifty halberdiers keep watch day and night 
in the anteroom, and twelve guards are in constant 
attendance upon him. Four chamberlains also keep 
watch and examine all persons who seek an audience 
with him. When he travels he requires for himself 
and attendants sixty wagons, and several more are 
necessary to convey the table plate and fixtures. 
He owns ten state coaches with glass windows. 
Fifty grooms follow, each with a good extra horse. 

" Wallenstein is an ambitious, violent, dangerous 
character, created to be a scourge of mankind. 
How audaciously he appropriates everything ! The 
Catholic League, with Maximilian at its head, robbed 
Bohemia of its Emperor and forced the Catholic 
religion upon the Palatinate. This was agreeable 
to the Emperor, and at the same time not agreeable 
accordingly as it affected him personally. It was 
agreeable to have the Protestant cause weakened ; 
but it was not agreeable that he, the Emperor, should 
possess no power and be obliged practically to live 
by the grace of the Catholic Princes* Union. The 
Emperor would gladly have raised an army, but he 
had not the money. Wallenstein understood the 
situation — oh, he has eyes, that man ! — and of- 
fered to raise an army for the Emperor at his own 
expense. It pleased the Emperor. He knew > 

[47] 



§^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^]^ 

Wallensteln's ability as a leader, and he was also 
aware of his great wealth. The maximum of the 
army was fixed by the Emperor at twenty thousand 
men. Wallenstein objected. Fifty thousand men 
could be supported as easily as twenty thousand. 
When the Emperor's advisers asked him to explain, 
he replied : ' Where I go with fifty thousand men I 
am master.' They consented." 

" That devil ! " exclaimed Pruckmann. " He 
means that where he goes with his army he will be 
master because it will harry that region and con- 
sume everything like a swarm of locusts. This in 
our dear German Empire ! God have pity upon 
it ! Wallenstein has whims and extravagances of 
many sorts. Like the lion, he cannot endure the 
crowing of a cock. He is very superstitious also. 
He dabbles much in astrology. When he is not 
in the field, he secludes himself from other men. 
What do you think of him ? " 

Leuchtmar replied : " It cannot be denied he is 
sinister, violent, and taciturn. A man who hates 
his kind has always something strange about him. 
What they say about the crowing of a cock may be 
all romance. It is true, however, that in Prague he 
lives all the year round separated from men and 
mostly keeps himself shut up in the interior of the 
palace. His taciturnity and his general aspect give 
him a demoniac appearance which spreads terror all 
[48] 



4i BARON AND CHANCELLOR ^ 

about him. When his tall, spare figure, with that 
high brow and sinister glance, moves among the 
ranks of the troops, even the stoutest spirits are 
seized with a mysterious awe, and his personal pres- 
ence is not a little intensified by his attire. A red 
feather hangs from his hat. His collar is ruffled in 
the Spanish fashion. His breeches and cloak are 
scarlet, his riding cloak of elk skin and his girdle 
red. When Christian took the leadership of the 
Protestant cause he found his victorious enemy in 
Tilly. Now comes a still worse enemy." 

Leuchtmar asked : " What does Schwarzenberg 
say r 

"He has advised the Elector' to take sides with 
the Emperor, and my friends and I are working to 
prevent it ; but Schwarzenberg will be satisfied if he 
continues neutral. But I fear, in spite of neutrality, 
that our country will suffer from Wallenstein's 
army. We have had already to suffer, first, because 
of the passage of the two thousand English five 
years ago through the land ; second, from the 
armies of Count Ernst von Mansfeld and Duke 
Christian, in struggles for the Protestant cause; 
and, third, from the warlike Danes, perhaps. I 
say, all this seems to me but a foretaste of what is 
coming." 

Leuchtmar asked : " What does the Electoress 
think ? " 

4 [49] 



4i^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

" She is overcome with sorrow." 

An hour later, the Electoress knew of what they 
had been talking. The image of Wallenstein ac- 
companied her as she reposed at night. She tossed 
about restlessly on her couch and his terrible figure 
appeared to her in dreams. It was early morning 
when she awoke, but she was so exhausted by her 
restless night that she did not rise. She went to 
sleep again, and again the terrible image appeared 
to her. A mysterious fire gleamed in his eyes, the 
features of his face were rigid. There was not a 
trace of human emotion in them. She felt as she 
gazed at it that she was doomed. Then he seemed 
gradually to grow larger. Higher and higher tow- 
ered his figure. The sky was shrouded in clouds, 
lightning flashed, the thunder rolled, and upon the 
storm winds fluttered the blood-red robe of the 
mighty figure. 

The Princess awoke. An involuntary prayer to 
Heaven rose from her lips. 



[50] 



Chapter VII 

The Departure 



"\ rN the year 1626 a genealogical work was pub- 
rished in Berlin, containing a fine copperplate 
engraving of the Prince Frederick William. 
He was then six years of age. The attractive 
young face, framed in abundant hair, shows the 
same expressive features which later characterized 
the Great Elector. He wears a jacket of flowery 
embroidered stuff and white breeches, besides ruffles 
and collar. 

When the Electoral Prince reached his seventh 
year (1627) Baron Leuchtmar was instructed to 
enter upon his duties as educator. He was sum- 
moned to the castle and proceeded at once to the 
antechamber leading to the audience-room. Step- 
ping to the window he saw the Prince crossing the 
narrow wooden bridge where afterwards stood the 
majestic castle bridge adorned with marble groups. 
His preceptor, Muller, an elderly but still active 
man, who had instructed him in a general way 
during the previous two years, walked by his side. 
Upon being summoned to the audience-chamber, 

[51] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 



Leuchtmar found the Electoress seated at a marble 
table, upon which were the instructions which she had 
just read over again. She beckoned him to her side 
and said : 

" My dear Baron, my husband and I have finally 
decided upon the castle of Ciistrin as the Prince's 
abode so long as these troublesome times continue. 
Many warlike bands have traversed our country of 
late to our sorrow, and now we hear that Wallen- 
stein has been summoned and will sweep over the 
land with his army. He has made fine promises to 
spare Brandenburg, but he means to play the part 
of the wolf toward our country, which he regards as 
the lamb. In these times of tumult, whose end is 
not yet visible, my husband and I are deeply con- 
cerned about the education of our oldest son. The 
confusion and excitement of war would deprive him 
of the quiet and peace which are indispensable, if his 
education is to be of any benefit. The strong castle 
of Ciistrin is at present a secure place. You will 
accompany him there. During the summer season 
you may take him to the hunting-castle of Letz- 
lingen. Consider, my dear Baron, the sacrifice my 
husband and I are making for the welfare of the 
fatherland, — the separation of our family, — my 
husband in distant Prussia, I here, our oldest son in 
Ciistrin. Tell me, does it not all show that w^ are 
an afflicted family, and that the favors we enjoy are 

[52] 



4^ THE DEPARTURE ^ 

but of little consequence as compared with the cal- 
amities which our position forces us to endure ? " 

" Gracious Princess," said Leuchtmar, " the peo- 
ple fully recognize that, and also that — " 

" My dear Baron," interrupted the Electoress, 
" I have had some unfortunate experiences with the 
people, but we will not talk about them. It will 
greatly please me if you will cherish my last words 
and let them sink deep into your heart." She took 
the instructions from the table. "My dear Baron, 
in these papers you will find the substantial features 
of the system you are to follow in the education and 
upbringing of my son. But I must add some words 
from my heart. Above all else, educate my son to 
be a pious. Christian man. Then take the utmost 
care that the pious soul dwells in a strong body. 
May our Heavenly Father grant you clear insight 
and bless your work ! Then my son will prove an 
exemplar for our own people in soul and body. 
Finally, my dear Baron, see to it that my son is 
spared as far as possible from the knowledge that a 
bloody war is raging around us. May this curse 
keep far away from his retreat. Now 1 ask you 
before God, will you strive with all your might and 
daily implore divine assistance to accompHsh what 
these instructions set forth and what my heart has 
told you ? If you will, confirm it, not by an oath, 
but in knightly fashion, by the clasp of the hand." 

[53] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

This was donCj and Leuchtmar, bowing low, said, 
with great emotion : " Gracious Princess, I will strive 
to the utmost of my ability to accomplish what you 
desire, with the help of God." 

A few days later, on the fourth of May, the Prince, 
Leuchtmar, Miiller his preceptor, and a little band 
of attendants, made ready to depart. No one saw 
the tears the mother shed in parting with her beloved 
son. The weeping Prince at last left her apartment ; 
Leuchtmar led him to the coach, drawn by powerful 
horses; it rolled over the long bridge, through Saint 
George^s street, and out through Saint George's 
Gate. The Baron did not intrude upon the Prince's 
grief at parting from his mother, but the change of 
scene, the bright sky, the green of the trees, and the 
songs of the lark and other birds, gradually softened 
the bitter sorrow in the child's heart. 



[54] 



Chapter VIII 
The Sixteenth of February 




N the sixteenth of February^ 1629, ^^ 
Prince was nine years old. At an early- 
hour in the morning, while it was still dark 
outside, he was awakened by singing. In 
an adjoining room, the door of which was open, 
Baron Leuchtmar, Preceptor Miiller, six pages, 
and some of the servants were singing a chorale 
together. When they had finished, Leuchtmar 
and Miiller greeted the Prince, wished him God's 
blessing, and expressed hearty personal congratula- 
tions in their own names as well as in the names of 
his parents. As soon as he was dressed he went to 
the apartment. Nine wax candles were burning 
upon a table covered with gifts. One of the pages 
read a poem in his honor, and the servants congrat- 
ulated him. After he had shaken hands with them 
all and thanked them he went to the table. Among 
the gifts were two which he cherished and kept all 
his life. His mother sent him an armlet with the 
following inscription : " I send you this as an assur- 
ance of my heartfelt love and to remind you not to 

[55] 



4^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR §^ 

forget my earnest exhortation to love God above all 
else, to practise the virtues, and to hate vice. Then 
God's help will strengthen you, and all temporal 
and eternal blessings will follow you." Besides this, 
there was a large package, covered with a cloth, 
which at once arrested his attention. He lifted the 
cloth and saw a large volume, bound in leather with 
silver corner pieces. He opened it. It was a Bible. 
He was overcome with delight. At that time there 
were no children's libraries. If there had been, he 
would have had a large one and one book more or 
less would have made little impression upon him. 
Up to this time his entire library was comprised in 
one volume, — the Catechism. Now, he had an- 
other, the Bible, which Leuchtmar and Miiller had 
given him as the most precious symbol of manhood. 
His joy was indescribable. He knew a great num- 
ber of the Bible stories already, and it was an added 
pleasure to find this or that one illustrated. On his 
way to church (his birthday fell on a Sunday) and 
when he left it, he could think of nothing but his 
treasure. 

Baron Leuchtmar soon observed that the Prince 
returned again and again to the pictures illustrating 
the story of David. Preceptor Miiller had told him 
already much about it and David, the shepherd, 
singer, hero, and king occupied all his attention. 
Leuchtmar also increased his interest. He decided 
[56] 



# SIXTEENTH OF FEBRUARY ^B 

to read the entire history of David, from his anoint- 
ing to his death, with the Prince. " I must share 
his delight in this narrative," he said to himself, 
" and thus our reading will prove a double bless- 
ing." He also decided to look it over himself in 
advance, so that when they read together he could 
better explain it. The more he read, the more he 
was delighted, and the clearer understanding he had 
of the hero youth and king. For an entire even- 
ing he left the oversight of the Prince to the pre- 
ceptor and sat until midnight at his table. He 
read not only the history of David but the larger 
part of the Psalms. The life of the pious singer 
was reflected in them, and they seemed to him as a 
whole like a stately song of David's. An hour was 
set apart every evening for their study of the history. 
Leuchtmar read, and the Prince and pages sat at the 
table. Miiller was also present. Seldom have the 
Holy Scriptures been perused with such ardent de- 
votion. The elders and the youths were alike inter- 
ested. From time to time they stopped reading and 
Leuchtmar and Miiller would explain the text to 
their young listeners, or read passages from the 
Psalms which made the narrative still clearer. 



[57] 



Chapter IX 
The Runaway 



n 



'^^^HE Prince and Leuchtmar one day took 
a long ride to a mill in a wooded valley 
about two miles away. When about a 

V:» half-mile distant from it they met a horse- 



man. He suddenly drew up as if undecided whether 
to keep on his way or take another road. At last 
he approached them, and the Prince and Leuchtmar 
recognized him as the miller's son — a strong, hand- 
some young fellow. He greeted them and was 
about to ride on. 

" Stephen, wait a minute and tell " 

But Stephen put spurs to his horse and dashed 
on. The Prince looked from the rider to his gov- 
ernor as if to seek an explanation of his conduct. 
Suddenly Stephen turned, rode back, and stopping 
a few paces away from them said : " Herr Prince, 
console my parents, and tell them I will restore 
everything that the war takes from them. God 
keep and bless you also." Thereupon he turned 
once more and soon disappeared in the woods. 

Leuchtmar at once understood Stephen's strange 
conduct : he was on his way to Wallenstein's army. 

[58] 



^i^ THE RUNAWAY 4^ 



Leuchtmar rode by the side of the Prince with a 
serious face, for the latter several times looked at 
him inquiringly. It was an embarrassing situation 
for him. What should he do ? Pass over the 
whole matter in silence ? He considered it from 
every point of view. At last, he said : " Stephen 
has run away from his parents. Sooner or later he 
will regret it. He is going to the foreign war, and 
remember, Prince, it is a foreign war. We are not 
at war with any one." 

His words did not wholly allay the Prince's dis- 
quiet, for Stephen had said he would restore to his 
parents everything that the war took from them ; 
and this clearly indicated war in that neighborhood. 
Leuchtmar was not unaware of that statement, and 
it made it all the harder for him to decide what to 
do. Should he ride on to the mill ? He feared what 
might be said then ; but they were already so near it 
that they -could hear the barking of the miller*s dog. 

Suddenly he stopped and said : " Prince, I shall 
be a poor consoler for Stephen's parents. I would 
rather ride over here a few days hence." 

Both turned their horses, but before they had 
gone far they saw the miller hurrying along the 
footpath. He was already close to them. It would 
not be polite to run away from the old man, Leucht- 
mar said to himself, and stopped. The Prince fol- 
lowed his example. The gray-haired miller accosted 

[59] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR C^ 



them. " My son, my son/' he moaned, " have you 
met him on the road, Herr Prince ? " 

The Prince replied : " Yes, my good man, we 
met your Stephen. He was about to pass us with- 
out a word, but at last he called to me and asked 
me to console you and tell you he would restore 
everything that the war might take from you.** 

"Alas!" exclaimed the old man, "it is just as 
I thought. The wicked boy ! He has joined 
hands with the devil and left his old parents, who 
will soon go to the grave in sorrow." 

" But what put such an idea into his head ? " 
asked Leuchtmar. 

"Ah! my good sir," replied the miller, "one 
lad can spoil many others. Fine, strong young fel- 
lows have been running away from all the villages 
hereabouts. And now, alas, my Stephen ! God 
knows what is the matter with these young fellows. 
Wallenstein is their idol, their ideal of all that is 
splendid. Many have been running away to him 
for a long time and some of them are now officers. 
Those stories about him pass from mouth to mouth 
and attract those who are not bad at heart. Tell 
them he is a Catholic and the leader of the Catholic 
army and they v/ill reply : ' We care nothing about 
our religion, what he wants is men of courage.* For 
several days Stephen has been talking with my 
daughter Elizabeth. He said to her : ' Am I to 
[6ol 



# THE RUNAWAY # 



wait here until Wallenstein comes, and then get 
treated like a mangy dog who is cHpped and has to 
lie behind the stove, while everything is going topsy 
turvy without P ' And Elizabeth replied : ' Even if 
they come into our neighborhood and the villages 
around us, they will not find us here in the valley ; 
and even if they should, we can run into the forest 
and stay until they are gone.* Stephen answered : 
'You do not understand what you are talking about, 
Elizabeth. Once the Wallensteinians are here in 
the villages they will quickly find the way to the 
mills and farms. I tell you they have keen noses. 
There are many of them who have lost all they had 
in the war, and they are going to make it up with what- 
ever they can lay their hands on here, and then, I tell 
you, when we have lost everything you will be glad 
to see Stephen coming home with his pockets full 
of gold pieces.' This is the way the boy talked ; 
and when Elizabeth told me about it, it made me 
sad and anxious. ' Take the boy to Schoneick,* 
said my wife to me yesterday, * and keep him there. 
Perhaps he will gradually forget all about the war.' 
He must have overheard her, for when I was mak- 
ing ready to do so to-day he took the horse out of 
the stall, mounted, and rode off. Alas ! I shall never 
see him again, my Stephen, my handsome boy ! " 
" Your misfortune touches me deeply, old father," 

said the Prince, " but how could Stephen engage in 

[6i] 



§^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

such a foolish project ? We are not at war with any 
one. Even if the troops should come here, they 
would come as friends and harm no one." 

" Ah, my gracious Prince/' replied the miller, " the 
good God thus far has protected this region from 
the calamity of war, but what about other parts of 
the country ? You well know that even the heredi- 
tary Prince is not safe in the capital, but has to Hve 
in a fortress. If troops were to come into the coun- 
try to-day, they would treat burghers and peasants 
alike without caring whether they were enemies or 
friends. That is what I say, but you, gracious 
Prince, of course, know more about it than I." 

Instead of replying, the Prince reddened. He 
was ashamed to expose his ignorance. The old man 
read this in his looks, and continued : " Perhaps 
your princely parents have kept the knowledge of 
such things from you. Yes, yes, it must be so. 
They may think their dear son will have enough of 
suffering without this. Well, well, they are right, 
the good parents.'* 

The Prince had lost all desire to go to the miller's 

house. He gave the Baron to understand this and 

both rode off. On the way, Leuchtmar said to him : 

'' The miller has mentioned things about which we 

will talk later, if your parents think it advisable. I 

will communicate with them at once, and in the 

meantime beg you patiently to await their decision." 
[62] 



Chapter X 
The Hunting-Castle 



r was in the morning of a beautiful spring day 
that the Prince and Leuchtmar rode together 
into the forest. They were on their way to the 
hunting-castle of Letzlingen, which the Prince's 
parents had selected as his summer residence. The 
Prince had been there during the previous summer 
and had left it in the autumn with the woodbirds 
of the romantic spot. He had looked forward long- 
ingly to this journey and could hardly wait for the 
day of departure. When he left in the autumn, the 
firs, enveloped in haze, looked to him like priests in 
dark robes standing at graves. Now the trees and 
shrubs were arrayed in bright new garments. He 
was overcome with joy in the fragrant arcades of the 
forest, shot through with golden sunbeams. What 
a soft, delicious life met his gaze everywhere. Now 
nimble squirrels frisked up the gray trunks of the 
oaks and watched the travellers inquisitively with 
bushy ears and tails uplifted. Again, a woodpecker 
tapped upon a dry limb, and under a tree stood a 

[63] 



il YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

deer and two fauns, the slender animals looking 
fearlessly at the riders with their dark, beautiful 
eyes. Wood-doves, rollers, and nuthatches enliv- 
ened the crowns of the high oaks and firs. The 
cuckoo called in the distance, and in the clear sky 
a hawk circled with shrill screams. 

The riders were now nearing the castle. The dogs 
must have known of their coming, for their loud 
barking was heard in the distance. " I know every 
one of them by their voices," said the Prince de- 
lightedly. " I hear Nimrod, and Diana, and Ajax. 
I wonder if thev will know me ? " 

" Dogs are just as grateful to those who treat 
them well as men are," replied Levichtmar. " They 
have not forgotten their last summer's friend." 

At a short distance from the castle stood a charcoal- 
burner's house. He was evidently aware of the 
Prince's coming, for the family were at the door and 
the little cherry-cheeked daughter handed the Prince 
a nosegay. 

The Prince reined in his horse, bowed, and took 
the flowers, saying : " I have something for you 
also, Dorothy. It is in my chest, which is on the 
way; you shall have it in the morning." Then he 
asked her parents how they were getting along, and 
after they had replied, the two rode on to the castle. 
The forester had already opened the gate, which 
was decorated with oak leaves, and with his wife and 

[64] 



4i THE HUNTING-CASTLE §^ 

his young hunters in holiday attire met the Prince. 
He courteously extended his hand and inquired 
about their health. A favorable reply came from 
all. Meanwhile there were some others waiting 
anxiously to welcome him. Nimrod, Diana, and 
Ajax joyously barked and leaped about him, and 
the gold-brown Nimrod was so overcome by his 
emotions that he sprang upon the Prince and licked 
his face. 

The Prince spent nearly the entire day visiting his 
favorite spots in the vicinity of the castle. It was 
not only the beauty of the woods which endeared 
the place to him, but the fact that in former years 
his parents had been accustomed to spend their 
summers there. 

Much had happened of late in the theatre of war, 
much also in the immediate vicinity of the Prince 
which was kept concealed from him, though it might 
not have been had it not been for one predominant 
feature of his character, — his submission to the par- 
ental will. Several detachments of Wallenstein's 
army had been in the neighborhood of Ciistrin in 
1627. Several of the imperial officers also had vis- 
ited Gastrin, and upon one of these occasions he was 
presented by Count Schoffgotsch with the cream- 
colored pony upon which he rode to the hunting- 
castle. 

One day the Prince asked Leuchtmar what the 
5 [65] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 41^ 

appearance of these Austrian soldiers meant, and 
was answered that his parents wished him to refrain 
from asking such questions. In good time he would 
be told. It would be wrong for him to know now, 
as it would disturb his studies. 



[66] 



Chapter XI 
The Stag Hunt 



j^ — j I — ^HE Prince received his instruction in the 
so-called hunting-room of the castle. It 
was a handsome^ lofty apartment, deco- 
J V. rated with stag antlers, deer heads, and 
paintings. Many of the latter represented hunting- 
scenes and some were pictures of wild animals. 
Among them were a herd of stags in the forest, a 
deer family, a mountain cock with its young, a wild 
boar, a hare in its bed under the firs, a canny fox 
leaving its hole, a striped badger, an otter leaping 
into the water after a fish, a wild cat making a spring 
after a flying bird, besides various kinds of small birds 
— nuthatches, rollers, wood-doves, ousels, starlings, 
thrushes, woodpeckers, and robins. The most of 
these pictures were of the Netherlands School and 
very valuable. " Is there not a picture in this room 
painted by a Brandenburger ? " the Prince asked of 
his preceptor. He answered in the negative. 
" Have we no famous painters in our country ? '* 
Miiller silently shrugged his shoulders. 

After this the Prince became deeply interested in 
the country which had accomplished such artistic 

[67] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

achievements, and Leuchtmar, who had made many 
visits to the most famous cities of Holland, told him 
much about the life of its people. One day the 
Prince asked : " How is it that everything prospers 
in that country so m.uch better than in ours ? " 

Much might be said about it, thought Leuchtmar, 
but he contented himself with this brief reply : 
" My Prince, the development of a nation is accom- 
plished by individuals of gifted minds and souls. 
Their culture extends gradually to the whole people. 
The history of every nation confirmis this. It is 
essentially the history of individuals. They bear 
the torch of knowledge aloft and lead the people out 
of darkness into the light. That nation may con- 
sider itself happy and fortunate when such persons 
exercise authority in the State, for they combine in 
themselves all the qualities necessary to the uplifting 
of the people. My Prince, some day you will be 
first in authority among your people. God grant 
you may be first als-o in the spiritual empire of our 
fatherland ! '* 

The Prince in common with the pages received 

instruction in Latin also. One day while they v/ere 

industriously engaged in translation, there was a 

knock at the door, and the forester entered the 

room. " Pardon me for interrupting you, gracious 

sir," said he, " but as you told me the Princess noble 

parents wished him to participate in the hunt for 
[68] 



# THE STAG HUNT 41? 

the development of his strength and courage, I have 
come to tell you 1 have wounded a stag worth the 
hunting." 

The Prince and pages at once gathered about 
him eagerly inquiring, " Where ? What kind of an 
animal ? A stag or a hind P " 

" In the vicinity of the Ullensee," replied the 
forester. "He is a splendid animal — a stag of 
sixteen antlers." 

Leuchtmar hesitated, for he doubted Vv'hether it 
was right for him to stop the lesson. Thereupon 
the forester said : " It v>^ill be a long time before such 
an opportunity for a stag hunt offers itself again." 

That decided it. " Prepare everything that you 
need," said Leuchtmar, "and we will come immedi- 
ately." The green hunting coats and plumed hats 
were quickly donned and the deer lances and horns 
were collected. They found the forester in the 
courtyard with a horse for the Prince. Baron 
Leuchtmar and three huntsmen also joined them, 
and they set off at once. The Prince, Leuchtmar, 
and the forester were mounted ; the others were on 
foot. The hounds, which were in leash, could 
hardly be kept from breaking loose. In about half 
an hour they reached the vicinity of the UUensee. 
In the forester's opinion they would find the stag 
upon a hillside thickly covered with bushes. He 
cautioned all to be quiet, and designated a spot at 

[69] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 



the base of the hill where the Prince, Leuchtmar, 
and the pages should station themselves. Thereupon 
he went around the hill to start the stag from its 
cover, the hunters following with the hounds. 

The Prince and Leuchtmar stopped at the foot 
of an oak and watched the thicket closely. Sud- 
denly there was a crackling of bushes and at the 
same time a stamping, as if a horse were dashing 
through them. An instant after a splendid stag 
rushed out of the thicket and passed within ten 
paces of the Prince, with the swiftness of a bird. 
Silently and at full speed, hardly seeming to touch 
the ground, the hounds followed him, — Nimrod, 
Ajax, and Diana. Another thicket concealed both 
stag and hounds from his view. The hunter's 
" Holla-ho-ho ! " sounded, the horn blasts rang 
through the greenwood, and the chase began, the for- 
ester and hunters having come up with them. The 
wounded stag bled and every ten or twelve paces 
there was a drop of blood upon the moss, or grass 
blades, or leaves of plants. The practised hunts- 
men's eyes can see such traces thirty or forty paces 
off, and such was the case now. The forester led 
the hunt. It took them up hill and down dale with 
many twistings and turnings. At the top of one of 
these hills they stopped and listened. They could not 
hear any barking — a sign that the stag was not yet 
exhausted. And so the chase was resumed. It was 
[70] 



^ THE STAG HUNT 4^ 

not an easy matter for the horses to keep to the 
rough course, nor was it easy for the riders, brush- 
ing back branches with one hand and using the 
horn with the other, to keep firmly in their saddles. 
The Prince's stout, active horse flew over the 
course with so little difficulty that the Prince was 
generally either a little behind the forester or riding 
by his side. The latter, though reluctant to lose 
track of the stag, kept his eye upon him from time 
to time. What jewels, he thought to himself, ever 
flashed so brightly as those eyes ? Where was there 
ever a face so fresh, so full of youthful ardor, or 
swept by such beautiful flowing hair ? Leuchtmar 
also closely scanned his pupil, and his heart beat, 
not with anxiety, but with joy. The hunters now 
reached another hill and hesitated an instant. At 
that point they overlooked a part of the Ullensee. 
Suddenly they heard the barking of the hounds. 
" They have chased him to water," said the forester. 
On they dashed again. As they emerged from the 
woods they saw the stag about two hundred paces 
away, standing under some alders in the sedges, evi- 
dently bent upon giving battle to the hounds. The 
dogs sprang at him but he kept them at bay with 
his horns. The Prince was for keeping on, but the 
forester cried " Halt ! he will take to the water and 
then we shall have to ride clear round the lake to 
reach him asrain." The instant the hounds saw the 
^ [7.] 



:i'T/* 



§^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR m 

hunters they renewed the attack. They barked furi- 
ously and rushed at the stag. He struck at them 
with his horns, but they evaded his thrusts. There 
was a remarkable echo at this spot which magnified 
their barking tenfold. The Prince's little horse 
shared the enthusiasm of its rider, tugged at the 
reins and circled about, its white foam spotting the 
ground. The Prince, growing impatient, exclaimed : 
" Let us go on, Herr Forester. What have we 
brought cur spears for ? " 

"Just a moment, gracious Prince,'' replied the 
forester, " and we will decide when to give the horn 
signal." 

It was given sooner than he wished. The stag 
was standing knee deep in the water. The signal 
increased the excitement of the hounds. Nimrod 
rushed directly at the stag, the other two dogs at- 
tacking on the left side, and sprang at his neck. 
Had the dog been on shore he could have moved 
about more effectively, but the water, which reached 
to his middle, impeded him. The stag impaled 
him on his horns and threw him to the beach, where 
he lay upon his back howling, his blood crimsoning 
the white sand. 

Notwithstanding his respect for the Prince, the 
forester gave vent to an oath, for he took the wound- 
ing of Nimrod sadly to heart ; but hardly more 
than the Prince himself, with whom the hound was 
[7^] 



# THE STAG HUNT ^ 

a great favorite. The latter could be restrained no 
longer. Putting spurs to his horse he dashed for- 
ward with levelled spear and bending forward loudly- 
shouted the hunting call. The courageous younp- 
pages followed him. Leuchtmar also spurred up 
his horse and sounded the call ; but as he came up 
with the Prince he seized his horse's bridle and said : 
" Prince, you must not do it." 

The stag had been standing motionless, but 
when Leuchtmar stopped the Prince, the animal re- 
treated a little distance and then sprang ashore and 
began his flight anew. He ran more feebly than 
before and the hunters soon overtook him. Their 
lances whizzed past him amid the blasts of horns 
and shouts of the hunters, and the Prince also hurled 
his lances, but with no more success than had at- 
tended the efforts of his companions. On they 
went, while the two hunters picked up the lances. 
Suddenly the stag ran against an oak which, although 
it was as large round as a man's body, trembled to 
its very top. The impact was so strong that the 
stag's neck was broken and it fell to the ground 
dead. 

After they had examined and admired the body, 
one of the hunters was ordered to ride back and look 
after the wounded Nimrod. He soon returned with 
the good news that the hound was not dangerously 
wounded, but he thought it would be well to let 

1731 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

him lie there until evening and bathe his wound. 
The forester commissioned one of his helpers to 
ride to the hunting-castle, harness up a team, and go 
to the spot; and the Baron ordered breakfast and 
wine to be brought. While they were waiting, the 
Prince and pages enjoyed a swim in the lake. After 
they had been in the water about half an hour, the 
wagon came bringing the breakfast in baskets, and 
Preceptor Muller, who was warmly welcomed. 
After a little the bathers came back with lusty ap- 
petites. A snow-white cloth was spread upon the 
ground and covered with good things to eat and 
drink. The time was spent in pleasant conversa- 
tion, and it may be imagined the forester did not 
lose the opportunity to tell some of his most inter- 
esting hunting stories. At the sound of the horn, 
the homeward journey was begun, a wagon, deco- 
rated with fir branches and carrying the stag, bring- 
ing up the rear of the procession. 



[74] 



Chapter XII 
A 'Retrospect 



D 



DARON LEUCHTMAR received a reply 
to his letter to the Electoress in which she 
N authorized him to communicate any infor- 
J mation to the Prince about the events con- 
nected with the war which he could understand. In 
reality she would have preferred to have him re- 
main ignorant about it, but as that was no longer 
possible, he might inform him so far as it seemed 
necessary. 

Leuchtmar began his task at once. He went 
back to the times of the Reformation to show the 
Prince that the war which had cost Germany so 
much blood and so many tears was a war of reli- 
gious faiths. Then he told him about conditions in 
Bohemia, the elevation of his uncle Frederick the 
Fifth to the throne of that country and his down- 
fall, and finally the appearance of Wallenstein upon 
the arena of war. This occupied one evening. The 
Prince was deeply interested in what he heard, and 
would gladly have learned further details about the 
careers of this or that person, but he realized, as 
Leuchtmar had pointed out, that to understand the 



§^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 






events of the existing war he must first be ac- 
quainted with events leading up to it. 

The next evening the Prince, Leuchtmar, the 
Preceptor, and the pages assembled in the hunting- 
room and took their places at a long oval table lit 
by silver sconces. All listened as Leuchtmar began 
his talk : — 

" Before I go on with Wallenstein's operations I 
must mention two of the fiercest, stoutest champions 
of the Protestant cause as well as of your unfortu- 
nate uncle. They are the Count von Mansfeld 
and Duke Christian of Brunswick. The first was 
actively engaged in Frederick's cause while he was 
still King of Bohemia. He vv^as exceedingly able 
and had many hard battles with the League, as also 
did Duke Christian. Both were very vindictive 
against the Catholic bishops and abbots, especially 
the Duke. He once looted a Catholic monastery 
of its silver, had it melted down and coined, and 
inscribed upon the coins : ' God's friend, the priests' 
enemy.' Your uncle, who had found refuge in 
Holland, was told that if he would discharge these 
generals the Emperor would be delighted to re- 
store the Palatinate to him. Frederick believed 
what was told him and dismissed them, only to find 
himself disappointed. The two went to Holland to 
assist that country against Spain. Christian, at the 
very outset, was so badly wounded in the arm that 
[76] 



4t A RETROSPECT ^ 



it had to be amputated. The operation was per- 
formed by his orders, to an accompaniment of 
trumpet fanfares, and when it was over he sent 
v^ord to the opposing general that the mad duke 
had lost one arm but he v/as keeping the other to 
inflict vengeance upon his enemies. This he did 
not fail in doing. The two generals were in Hol- 
land but a short time. Count von Mansfeld was 
defeated on the Elbe, at the bridge of Dessau in 
1626 by Wallenstein ; and of his twenty thousand 
men he could only rally five thousand about him in 
Germany. We have suffered much from the out- 
rages of his troops, for there were many very bad 
men among them. He marched through Silesia 
and Moravia into Transylvania. Wallenstein pur- 
sued him, which gave Christian of Denmark, who 
had espoused the Protestant cause, an opportunity 
to take the field. 

" The Count von Mansfeld supposed that he 
would have no difficulty in conducting operations 
against the Emperor in Transylvania. He knew 
that Prince Bethlen Gabor, who was ruling at that 
time, had been engaged in a fierce contest with the 
Emperor a short time previously ; but he soon dis- 
covered, greatly to his surprise, that peace had been 
made between them. He then went to England to 
raise troops for fresh undertakings, and died while 
thus engaored. When he realized that his end was 

^ " [77] 



^i^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

near he donned his armor and helmet and died 
erect, supported by two of his officers. The Duke 
of Brunswick died in the same year. 

" In the meantime, as I have already mentioned, 
another champion of the Protestant cause appeared, 
Christian the Fourth, King of Denmark, and the 
Dukes of Brunswick and Mecklenburg joined him. 
Their union was already accomplished when Wal- 
lenstein appeared upon the scene* Supposing that 
they were confronted by the League alone, they 
now discovered that they had to meet a second 
and much stronger foe. While Wallenstein was 
pursuing Count von Mansfeld the Leaguers forces 
were contending with those of the King of Den- 
mark* The former were led by Tilly. The King 
tried to evade a battle, but he was finally forced into 
it at the village of Lutter. Christian fought bravely, 
but his troops were no match for those of the 
League. He lost the battle and had to fly. Tilly 
pursued him and captured one strong place after 
another. Meanwhile Wallenstein returned from his 
pursuit of the Count von Mansfeld and improved 
the opportunity to make a trip from Frankfurt to 
Berlin." 

" Was he in Berlin ? " asked the Prince, in amaze- 
ment. " Did he go there as friend or enemy ? " 

" Not as a friend and yet not as an avowed 
enemy.*' 
[78] 



^ 

^ 







4ife A RETROSPECT # 



" But we are Protestants, and he is the leader on 
the Catholic side," said the Prince. 

" You are right/' replied Leuchtmar, " and yet we 
made no hostile movement against him." 

" Was no assistance tendered by us to the Prot- 
estants who rose in arms against the Catholics ? " 

"None." 

" Why not ? " 

"My Prince," said Leuchtmar, after a pause, " it 
is not so easy to answer that question as you think. 
Perhaps some time you may be able to do so. You 
must trust your father in this matter. In this great 
war he has thus far not taken sides with the Protes- 
tants. Be assured he has good reasons for his course. 
Now listen to me once more. Our first minister. 
Count Schwarzenberg, is a Cath — " 

" Pardon me, Herr Leuchtmar, for interrupting 
you," said the Prince. "We are Protestants and 
our first minister is a Catholic ? " 

" I can give you a reason for that," replied 
Leuchtmar. " There is an unfortunate division 
among the Protestants. The two factions are called 
Lutherans and Reformers. They are very bitter 
against each other, the Lutherans especially so. 
Were not this the case the Catholics would not have 
been so successful. I think your father did not care 
to add oil to the flames by selecting his first minister 
from either of those two factions. Their enmity 

[79] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

was so strong that they would rather see a Catholic 
at the head of the Privy Council in Berlin than any 
one from either faction. It is undoubtedly due to 
our Catholic minister Schwarzenberg that Wallen- 
stein was much gentler among us at the beginning of 
the campaign than we had any reason to expect 
he would be. Schwarzenberg implored him to 
spare the country, and upon the same occasion in- 
vited him to go to Berlin. He accepted the invita- 
tion and went there with thirty princes, counts, and 
barons, sixteen pages, twenty-four halberdiers, twelve 
lackeys, and a great number of chamberlains, cooks, 
and servants, — in all fifteen hundred persons and a 
thousand horses. He remained in Berlin only one 
night and on the next day went back to his army, 
which already had been increased to a hundred 
thousand men. He advanced with this army, driv- 
ing the Danes before him. His monthly stipend at 
that time, six thousand gulden, had increased by 
the end of 1627 to one hundred and eighty thou- 
sand, and as it had not been paid, the Emperor in- 
demnified him with the dukedom of Sagan as a 
feudal tenure and also made him a prince of the 
empire. Thereupon he aspired to the possession 
of Mecklenburg. As both the dukes were allies 
of the King of Denmark and had therefore incurred 
the enmity of the Emperor, he had no difHculty in 
getting his consent. Ferdinand outlawed the dukes 

[80] 



4i A RETROSPECT 4i? 



and granted Wallenstein the possession of Meck- 
lenburg." 

" About what time did this occur ? " asked the 
Prince. 

"In the year 1629/' replied Leuchtmar. 

" You have forgotten one very important event, 
Herr Leuchtmar/' remarked the Preceptor, " the 
siege of Stralsund, the year before, in 1628." 

" That is true," said Leuchtmar, " and I thank 
you, Herr Preceptor, for reminding me of it. Stral- 
sund is one of the Hanseatic cities and has a regular 
military force. As Wallenstein absolutely domi- 
nated city and country, wherever he was, he thought 
he could do the same in Stralsund. He sent a force 
there which he expected v/ould garrison the city. 
The Stralsunders, however, closed their gates and 
would not admit the imperial troops. Doubtless 
they were sufficiently familiar with imperial outrages 
even against friends. They sent an embassy to 
Wallenstein to justify their action. He turned upon 
them in a rage and declared in substance that even 
were Stralsund bound to the heavens by a chain he 
would break it and enter the city. The brave Stral- 
sunders in the meantime made preparations for a 
stout resistance. They also applied to the King of 
Denmark for help, as well as to another sovereign 
who is a near relation of yours, my Prince." 

" Ah ! you mean Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden." 
6 [81] 



^§ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^§ 

" Yes. Both sent help, — Gustavus Adolphus 
ammunition, the Danish king four companies of 
foot soldiers. Wallenstein's force besieged and as- 
saulted the city without any effect. Then Wallen- 
stein came in person, demanded the city's surrender, 
and swore that if it refused he would spare neither 
old nor young. The magistrates hesitated, but the 
burghers, encouraged by the arrival of four hundred 
Danes and two thousand Swedes, refused to open 
the gates to the enemy. It will be to their honor 
for all time that they were so courageous and reso- 
lute. All Wallenstein's exertions were useless ; 
after losing twelve thousand men before the walls of 
the city he had to make a dishonorable, shameful 
retreat." 

With this, the talk for that day closed. 

Early the next morning Leuchtmar went out for 
a walk in the castle grounds. The air was fresh 
and fragrant, and the golden morning light shim- 
mered among the trees. As it was nearly six 
o'clock, he went in to wake the Prince. He 
walked up to his bed and drew back the silken cur- 
tains. The Prince lay before him the picture of 
health. His cheeks glowed, and his lips were deep 
red in color. " Poor little fellow," he thought to 
himself, " thy peace is forever gone. The knowl- 
edge of the world thou hast acquired will wither 
many an innocent joy in the bud. As the years 
[82] 



# A RETROSPECT # 

increase, thy anxiety and cares will increase. Is not 
the lot of a prince harder than that of any one of his 
subjects ? " 

The clock struck six and Leuchtmar aroused the 
Prince. His first words were : " Herr Leuchtmar, 
I have been in Stralsund all night, fighting upon 
the walls against the Emperor's troops. Wallen- 
stein came, wearing a blood-red cloak, and rose to 
such a towering height that his head overtopped the 
walls. Some of our men fled, but the most re- 
mained and shot and thrust at him. At last a 
cannon ball took off his head and he fell.'* At 
breakfast, also, the Prince mentioned his dream. 



[83] 



Chapter XIII 
The Imperial Soldiers 




EFORE Leuchtmar resumed his talk on 
the next evening the Prince asked a ques- 
tion. He recalled the miller's son they had 
met in the woods and inquired if this was 
the same Wailenstein his father had meant when he 
spoke of his son's joining his army. 

" Yes, my Prince," replied Leuchtmar, " and the 
miller also said, you remember, that many young 
fellows in that vicinity were running away to serve 
in that army. This reminds me to tell you some- 
thing about the soldier's life at the period of which 
we have been hearing." Leuchtmar picked up a 
paper from the table, and, glancing at it now and 
then, resumed: " I will name to you the Emperor's 
generals who were the most moderate in their treat- 
ment of our people. They were Generals Arnim 
and Pappenheim. Wailenstein assigned one to 
Altmark, the other to Ukermark. Although, as I 
have just said, they conducted themselves more 
moderately than the others in authority, yet they 
demanded from the people seven gulden for each 
musketeer, twelve for each trooper, and fifteen for 
[84] 




QOLDIERS at the time of 
^ the Thirty Tears' War 






4S^ THE IMPERIAL SOLDIERS 

each cuirassier in monthly payments. The extor- 
tions of Colonel Hebron in the Winter of 1624-25 
were frightful. Brandenburg, Rathenow, Treuen- 
brietze, Belitz, Spandau, Potsdam, Rauen, and 
vicinity had to pay him 7,700 gulden a month in 
cash. A year afterwards Montecuculi was even 
more cruel in Neumark. He made an inhuman 
demand of the Landtag then in session, requiring 
for his staff and his own command not less than 
29,520 gulden monthly, 12,000 for his table, 600 
for the table of each of his under officers, 1,940 for 
other commands, 4,800 for recruiting service, — in 
all, not taking minor expenses into account, 96,860 
gulden for the period of two months. With their 
utmost exertion the people could raise only one- 
third that sum. 'You dogs,* exclaimed Montecu- 
culi to the committee which waited upon him and 
begged him to spare them, ' You dogs, why have 
you not done what I told you ? ' They replied they 
had given all they had. ' Good,' said Montecuculi ; 
' now I will show you what happens to those who 
do not pay the tax levied upon them.* The 
burghers and peasants were maltreated and the last 
of their effects were taken from them by force. 
This opened the eyes of those who were of the 
same faith. What were these soldiers, they said, 
but robbers ? And who was their leader but the 
leader of a band of robbers? ** 

[85] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

Leuchtmar was greatly excited as he spoke, as 
well as the others. " Yes," exclaimed the Pre- 
ceptor, " they will be detested as robbers to the 
latest times." 

Leuchtmar resumed : " And while Montecuculi 
and his officers were carousing, the people whom 
they had robbed went begging from house to house 
and from place to place. There was dreadful con- 
sternation in all the villages. The fiends themselves 
could not have invented more ingenious tortures to 
force the villagers to disclose where they had hid- 
den their last pfenning. In some places people 
were killed after they had given up all they had, 
then their houses were fired, and thus whole dis- 
tricts were desolated." 

The Prince said nothing, but tears streamed 
down his red cheeks. 

" This is enough for to-day," said the Preceptor ; 
" I will defer what I have to say until to-morrow." 
Leuchtmar agreed to this, and then related to the 
Prince the tale of Perseus by Ovid, his favorite story- 
teller. It made little impression upon him, however, 
so deeply had he been affected by the evening's talk. 



[86] 



Chapter XIV 
The Restitutions Edict 



" T\ FY^ Prince/' the Preceptor began," there 



M 



was a brief time of peace in Germany. 

The Count von Mansfeld and Duke 
yJL V |J U Christian of Brunswick were dead ; 
your uncle. Prince of the Palatinate, and both the 
Dukes of Mecklenburg were driven out of the coun- 
try, and the Danish King had been compelled to 
make peace. It was confidently expected that the 
Army of the League, led by Tilly, would be with- 
drawn to Bavaria and that of Wallenstein into the 
imperial dominions, and then there would be peace 
everywhere in Germany, which was bleeding from 
a thousand wounds and needed peace for its own 
recuperation. But the Emperor Ferdinand pre- 
vented it. The Jesuits told him, ' Now or never 
is the time to crush out the Reformation. Use it.* 

" Ferdinand was only too willing to obey his 
spiritual masters. He signed a document called 
'The Restitutions Edict.' I will give you only 
its principal provisions. All the sees and ecclesi- 
astical property appropriated since the treaty of 
Passau (1525), shall be restored to the Catholics. 

[87] 



^•^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4t& 

Every Catholic prince shall have the right to de- 
mand of his subjects that they embrace his faith, 
and those who refuse or hesitate shall be outlawed. 
As soon as the edict was promulgated the Jesuits 
and Capuchins appeared in swarms to regain pos- 
session of the promised property, and the Emperor's 
soldiers accompanied them on pillaging expeditions. 
Augsburg gave up six monasteries and was forced 
to recognize the bishop. It was the same in Wurz- 
burg. The excitement in the Protestant parts of 
middle and south Germany was almost indescribable. 
Lichtenstein's dragoons looted Silesia. Branden- 
burg also yielded its right to an archbishopric and 
gave up its four sees. Matters with us, however, did 
not reach so serious a pass, for two good reasons. 
Ferdinand wished to establish his son firmly in the 
succession and needed the votes of the Electors, as 
well as that of your gracious father. For this rea- 
son he delayed the enforcement of the edict. But 
there was a still stronger reason. A hero, the ^ Star 
of the North,' was giving him great anxiety. Whom 
did that name mean ? Whom else than the knightly 
King, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden ? In the war 
with Poland he had shown all the qualities that go 
to make a hero. The six years' armistice with that 
country was accomplished, and it was now expected 
he would have something to say about affairs in 
Germany." 
[88] 



# THE RESTITUTIONS EDICT ^ 

There was some desultory talk about Gustavus 
Adolphus and his appearance in Germany, after 
which Leuchtmar said : " The two Catholic generals, 
Wallenstein and Tilly, now had to meet a different 
enemy from Christian of Denmark. He had won 
his spurs when seventeen years of age, in an expedi- 
tion against that King. It is now time, however, to 
bring our talk to a close, and I will mention only 
one incident in his career. In the Polish war it 
happened upon one occasion that his courage outran 
his prudence, and he suddenly found himself sur- 
rounded by his enemies. Death or capture seemed 
the only alternative, and he decided to die fighting. 
Right and left his foes fell before his stout blows. At 
the critical moment a Swedish cavalryman supported 
by his comrades rescued the King at the risk of their 
own lives. Not long afterwards the King found his 
rescuer a captive. He dashed into the crowd and 
freed him in turn. ^ Brother comrade,' he called out, 
^ now we are even with each other.' My Prince, 
how do you like your cousin ? " 

The Prince made no reply in words but his eyes 
spoke what he thought. The old Preceptor's eyes 
flashed also when he arose, Bible in hand, and said : 
" Yes, yes, he is coming ! the ' Hero of the North ' 
— the ^ Lion of the Northland,' as he is variously 
called. He will be our David, and the Lord will 
give him strength to vanquish his enemies. Now 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4il 



let us reverently read the Twenty-seventh Psalm, 
which begins with these words : * The Lord is my 
light and my salvation ; whom shall I fear ? The 
Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be 
afraid ? ' " 



[90] 



Chapter XV 
Colonel von Burgsdorf 




'EEKS have passed since the events 
just described. Knowledge has opened 
a new world for the Prince. Many 
questions have arisen in his mind. Some 
of them were settled, others troubled him. It was 
growing unsafe in the vicinity of Letzlingen. Sev- 
eral pillaging bands had appeared and murders had 
been committed. For this reason Leuchtmar wrote 
to the Elector, asking whether it would not be ad- 
visable to return to Custrin rather than remain at the 
hunting-castle until Fall, as originally intended. 

It was midnight before his letter was finished, for 
he had much to say about the Prince's intellectual 
and physical progress, and then he retired. The 
wind roared in the chimney. The vines clinging to 
the iron shutters of the windows shook against the 
panes. Before he could get to sleep he heard a shot. 
He closed his eyes. Then came a second shot. 
Naturally he thought there was a party of marauders 
near by, and yet there might be some other cause 
for the firing. He quietly arose, went into the front 

[91] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4^ 

room, closed the door behind him and stepped to 
the window. He opened it and listened. He heard 
voices near the charcoal-burner's hut. The hounds 
were already barking furiously. A number of per- 
sons seemed to be approaching the castle. The 
forester was on the alert. There was a soft knock 
at the door ; Leuchtmar opened it. The Preceptor 
stood there with a light in his hand and anxiously 
asked him what he thought about the noise. Two 
servants who slept in the entry had started up, and 
the forester soon appeared at the door. " It is a 
plundering gang/' said he, " but they will find their 
match." 

" Silence, silence ! " cautioned Leuchtmar. " Let 
us first consider what it is best to do." He went 
again to the window, but only heard the voices of 
those approaching ; what they said was inaudible by 
reason of the barking of the dogs. The forester in 
the meantime went into the castle yard, hunting- 
knife in one hand and pistol in the other, and asked 
who they were, after a hunter had quieted the dogs 
with a whip. 

" Colonel von Burgsdorf and two attendants, who 
have lost their way," was the reply. 

The forester hesitated about opening the gate, but 

Leuchtmar, who recognized Von BurgsdorPs voice, 

assured him that all was right and gave his friend a 

hearty welcome. He had lost his way in the forest 

[9^] 



m COLONEL VON BURGSDORF ^g 



'/»«• 



and had purposely raised an alarm. Fortunately he 
found himself near the castle. The barking of the 
dogs first gave him the right direction, and then the 
charcoal-burner, whom he aroused, directed him to 
the castle. 

The three men soon were sitting together, the 
Colonel, Leuchtmar, and Miiller, in the Preceptor's 
apartment. Burgsdorf was a somewhat corpulent 
man with a genial face, notwithstanding his fierce 
mustaches. In a jovial way he declared that he 
had some highly important news, but he would not 
give them a morsel of it until he had appeased his 
hunger and quenched his thirst. Leuchtmar had 
already made his arrangements and a cold supper 
was brought in, — half a mountain-cock, and a wild 
boar's head with a lemon in its mouth, and good 
Rhine wine was not lacking. As he ate and drank 
heartily, he made fun of his table companions, who 
were sitting by him hungering for the news. At 
last he said : " I will begin my information thus : 
If there should be one explosion right at your 
doors would you not be frightened ? and then, if a 
second should occur, would you not immediately 
make preparations to leave ? What do you think 
about it ? " 

" Great heaven ! you have terrified me already," 
said the Preceptor. 

Leuchtmar spoke : " In fact, great things must 

[93] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^| 

have happened, when you introduce them in this 
way." 

" They have happened," replied Burgsdorf. 
" Now listen : First explosion — Wallenstein has 
been dismissed. Second explosion — Gustavus 
Adolphus has landed in Pomerania. Ah ! I see 
that the news excites you even more than if two 
powder-houses had exploded at your very door." 

" Herr Colonel, you are a reliable man, otherwise 
I should think — " 

" Two such pieces of news at once ! This is too 
much ; one is all we can stand." 

Thus spoke Leuchtmar and Miiller. The latter 
added : " And what about Tilly ? " 

" He is still at large," replied Burgsdorf; " my 
information concerns Wallenstein only. And do 
you know who brought about his retirement P The 
Catholic princes, his companions in the League. 
The rascars colossal audacity was too much for 
them. They could not endure that he should dis- 
possess the Dukes of Mecklenburg (though they 
cared nothing for them personally, as they are Prot- 
estants) and strut about as an imperial prince." 

" Aha ! So he has got himself into trouble ! " 

" Surely ! Ferdinand went with high hopes to the 
assembly of the Electors at Regensburg. He in- 
tended to crush out the rights of the Protestants 
completely, besides arranging for the choice of his 
[94] 



4^ COLONEL VON BURGSDORF ^ 

son as his successor. It turned out differently from 
what he expected. There was a storm of complaints 
on all sides, and in the midst of the excitement 
Maximilian of Bavaria appeared upon the scene. 
He satirically charged that Wallenstein was only 
the leader of the imperial halberdiers whom he had 
collected in Germany at an exorbitant price. Was 
it not most atrocious, he said, that the Electors, 
the pillars of the empire, should be made subor- 
dinate to the imperial army commanders, especially 
in Brandenburg, where this had been the case for 
years ? " 

" This much I know," said the Preceptor, " his 
expenses are not to be reckoned by thousands or 
hundreds of thousands, but by millions." 

"Twenty million gulden," said Burgsdorf, "and 
perhaps more. Everything combined to force Fer- 
dinand to displace Wallenstein. Many teeth chat- 
tered at the thought, ' Will the mighty Wallenstein 
give up his sword without resistance ? ' He has 
done it. They say that the stars told him he must 
obey the Emperor*s behest." 

Leuchtmar interrupted : " May he not contem- 
plate taking it up again ? Then he will make more 
extortionate demands than the former ones." 

" Very possible," replied Burgsdorf. " He has a 
penetrating foresight." 

The Preceptor now asked : " Was the arrival of 

[95] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

Gustavus Adolphus known at that time to Regens- 
burg ? " 

"No," replied Burgsdorf; "otherwise the Em- 
peror would have had most substantial reasons for 
deferring the dismissal of his favorite, who has now 
retired to his kennel in Prague. But who can tell 
what is going on now in his brains ? What may they 
be hatching — cruel scenes of blood and revenge ? 
But let us drop this fiend and speak of that brilliant 
hero, Gustavus Adolphus ! It seems to me that the 
lightning of his sword is already flashing all over 
Germany. He will measure himself with Tilly, 
who is now in supreme command of the Catholic 
army." 

"Truly, this news," said Leuchtmar, "is soul- 
inspiring. I feel already as if a new order of things 
had come. But how are affairs at the court ? Above 
all, what does Schwarzenberg say ? " 

Burgsdorf made a bitter grimace. " He has been 
trying in every way to induce the Elector to join 
the Emperor, and failing in that, he continually 
urges him to remain neutral and not to recognize 
Gustavus Adolphus. Now, as you know, there is a 
party at the Elector^s court which for a long time 
has practically been on the side of Sweden. That I 
belong to it you will not doubt. The Electoress is 
decidedly on our side. The Elector remains quiet, 
and no one knows what is passing in his mind. One 

[96] 



# COLONEL VON BURGSDORF # 

remark of Gustavus Adolphus concerning Schwar- 
zenberg is well known. He called him a traitor, 
and added that he richly deserved to have his neck 
broken. To prevent a meeting of the two, the Elec- 
tor has sent Schwarzenberg on business to Treves. 
I wish that he might never come back." 

They spoke of many other distinguished persons 
and important events. At last Burgsdorf told them 
that he was commissioned to arrange for the return 
of the Prince to Custrin, as it was safer there than 
at the hunting-castle. For this reason no letter had 
been sent, as he had undertaken to convey the mes- 
sage personally. 

It was between three and four o'clock in the 
morning when they sought their beds. 



[97] 



Chapter XVI 

Gustavus Adolphus 



WHEN Gustavus Adolphus took his 
solemn farewell of the Swedish coun- 
cil he confided himself to the protec- 
tion of the Almighty. His last words, 
"I bid you all a heartfelt farewell, perhaps forever; 
perhaps we see each other for the last time," brought 
tears to the eyes of all present. After a moment's 
silence the King closed with a fervent prayer. 

The King embarked at once. After a long and 
stormy passage he landed, July 4, 1630, just a hun- 
dred years after the reading of the Augsburg Con- 
fession, upon the little island of Ruden. As soon 
as he had landed he fell upon his knees in earnest 
prayer. To his followers, who were moved to tears 
by his fervor, he said : " The more prayer, the surer 
victory ; for he who prays often has already half 
striven and gained the victory." Thereupon, taking 
spade in hand, and while the disembarkation was 
going on, he helped half of the landed troops in 
throwing up defences, while the rest stood guard 

under arms. Notwithstanding the meagreness of 

[98] 



# GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS # 



his supplies, he maintained strict discipline, and his 
soldiers were forbidden under penalty of death to 
break into houses or to annoy or rob any one. His 
little army of fifteen thousand men presented a stron or 
contrast with the robber bands of that time, who 
fought only where there was a chance of booty and 
dissoluteness. At the outset the Swedes were de- 
rided and called " starvelings " and " bigots," but 
they were full soon recognized as warriors to be 
feared. Even at the imperial court they were looked 
upon with contempt when the landing was an- 
nounced, but the court soon learned its mistake. 

Gustavus Adolphus suddenly appeared before 
Stettin. Pomerania, like Brandenburg, had been 
devastated by the Imperialists. Bogislav Four- 
teenth, Duke of Pomerania, yielded to the inevitable 
and made a treaty with Gustavus Adolphus, whose 
army at the close of the year 1630 had been in- 
creased to thirty thousand men by accessions from 
Sweden and by deserters from the enemy. At the 
beginning of the year 1631 a treaty was made be- 
tween Sweden and France, for the increasing power 
of the Emperor had long displeased France. In 
Germany about this time the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 
the Landgrave Ludwig Wilhelm of Hesse-Cassel, 
and the city of Magdeburg declared for Gustavus 
Adolphus. The Imperialists retreated before him. 
He attacked Frankfort and took the city by storm. 

[99] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR || 

Not a single combatant was spared, because Tilly, 
at the capture of Neubrandenburg, had killed two 
thousand Swedes in violation of the rules of war- 
fare. Gustavus Adolphus next appeared before 
Berlin and ordered the Elector to declare whether 
he would close a treaty with him, like the princes 
named above, or be his enemy. The Swedish party 
in Berlin, to which the Electoress and her mother 
belonged, besides most of the councillors (among 
them Pruckmann and Von Burgsdorf, whose ac- 
quaintance we have made at Letzlingen) exerted 
themselves to the utmost to induce the Elector to 
make the treaty; but it came to nought. Gustavus 
Adolphus meanwhile received word from Magde- 
burg that it was besieged by Tilly, and that it de- 
pended upon him to relieve the city. But this 
master of war knew that in spite of all calculations 
and the utmost courage a retreat might be necessary 
if he did not occupy strong positions, so as not to 
be cut off from his base of operations. Gustavus 
Adolphus desired the concession of the fortresses of 
Spandau and Ciistrin. The Elector consented, but 
upon condition that the fortresses should be given 
back immediately after the raising of the siege. 

Gustavus Adolphus now advanced tov/ard the 
Elbe, sent ambassadors to the Elector of Saxony, 
and asked of him the surrender of Wittenberg that 
he might have free passage of the Elbe. The 

[lOO] 



^f-!. 



m GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS ^ 

Elector hesitated while the danger to Magdeburcr 
steadily increased. Suddenly came the dreadful 
news that Magdeburg had fallen. Of its thirty- 
five thousand citizens, thirty thousand were put to 
death by Tilly's hordes, and after a few days in the 
place of a flourishing city only a heap of ruins was 
left, from which the smoke of the fires which had 
been kindled rose to heaven. 

The news of the fall of Magdeburg deeply pained 
the King, but his courage did not waver in the least. 



[lOl] 



Chapter XVII 

In a Garden House at Berlin 




USTAVUS ADOLPHUS shortly ap- 
peared again with his army before BerHn 
and trained his cannon upon it, v/hereupon 
its citizens became panic-stricken. The 
King well knew that there v^as a strong party op- 
posed to him, and he decided to see what effect a 
menacing attitude would have upon them. The 
Electoress and her mother, the widovv^ed Princess 
of the Palatinate, betook themselves to the King's 
camp and arranged for an interview between the 
King and the Elector. At the place of their meet- 
ing, near the Stralauer Gate, a Berlin alderman 
owned a fruit garden, in which he had erected a 
handsome summer house. At the appointed hour 
the Elector appeared in his coach, accompanied by 
Pruckmann and Burgsdorf. His face showed that 
the sufferings of his people had made a deep im- 
pression upon him. He dismounted and went to 
the summer house, where he was notified that the 
King was near by. Standing at the door he saw his 

royal brother-in-law upon his steed, accompanied by 
[102] 



§^ GARDEN HOUSE AT BERLIN ^ 



a brilliant array of officers, approaching the summer 
house. The Elector advanced to meet him, Pruck- 
mann and Burgsdorf following. The princes greeted 
each other by word, hand shake, and kiss, but the 
greeting was not characterized by warmth of feeling 
on either side. How could it have been otherwise? 

" Dear brother-in-law," began the King in a loud 
voice, " I come in the name of our holy religion, 
to which we belong, to invite you to join with me 
against our common hereditary enemy. Once there 
was a union of German princes. Where is it now ? 
Three times I have offered you my hand. Wavering 
courage, discord, fear of the world's opinions have 
prevented the making of a common agreement 
against the Emperor and the Catholic League. Now 
I have come here at my own risk, and trusting in 
God have raised my banners for the protection of 
the oppressed followers of our faith." 

The Elector replied : '^ My dear brother-in-law, 
how well I know that our beloved Church is sorely 
beset ! Twelve long years I have borne this sorrow 
which has well-nigh overcome my soul, and the bur- 
den only grows heavier. This war is wasting Ger- 
many like a dreadful disease. But you know as 
well as I that religion is not the only exciting cause 
of it." 

" We must sever conflicting interests as once the 

Gordian knot was cut. There is no other way, and 

[103] 



4^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR §^ 



we must strike the blow now while our sinews are 
still strong. If we hesitate longer, all Protestant 
countries will share the fate of Bohemia and the 
Palatinate." 

^' Is that the only possible way ? The Emperor 
has yielded somewhat. Wallenstein has been dis- 
missed." 

" Yes," said the King, " one person may fall, but 
does the spirit which calls men fall with him ? The 
smoking ruins of Magdeburg answer the question. 
In the place of Wallenstein, Tilly was there. And 
may not Wallenstein be summoned again ? May he 
not any day emerge from his hiding-place ? Where 
he will be needed is as clear as the day. Stralsund 
is the key of the Baltic. That is why so much blood 
was shed to win it. Ferdinand's plans are clear. 
The promulgation of the Restitutions Edict for the 
north of Germany has been delayed, but when the 
delay is ended, then it will be time for the northern 
empire to draw the sword. Has not Wallenstein 
already shown his enmity to Sweden ? For years he 
sent troops to my enemies, the Poles, and when I 
called him to account for it he gave me the insulting 
answer that he was not in want of those he spared. 
May they not put forth fresh and redoubled exer- 
tions to secure Stralsund ? I know well enough 
there are persons who will say now and in the future, 
' What business has Sweden to meddle with the war 
[104] 



^i GARDEN HOUSE AT BERLIN # 



Vi'f 



in Germany?* Thus fools and ill-wishers will talk. 
There is a war against the Protestant Church, and if 
it be destroyed in Germany it will be destroyed in 
Sweden. Shall I suffer the last hope of German 
Protestants to disappear before I move? No. I 
clearly see what would happen if I, as a Protestant 
prince, should act as you have done, — tremble and 
hesitate ; now assume an earnest manner as if I were 
about to draw the sword, and then, submissively 
smiling, acknowledge my vassalage. Tell me, my 
brother-in-law, what have your vacillating politics 
toward Austria during the last twelve years done for 
you ? Could the hardest war have caused the loss 
of more men and money than has already occurred ? " 

" I fear, yes. An openly declared war against the 
Emperor might cost me as much as it has cost the 
Duke of Mecklenburg against whom the ban has 
been pronounced." 

"Yes, an unjust, unrighteous act. But the ban 
is now an empty shell, for I have restored this 
right to the Duke." 

" That is very good," replied the Elector. "But 
can you guarantee that that ends the matter? You 
are a brave warrior. You have proved it in Poland 
and in many places in Germany. And yet the his- 
tory of all times and people shows that the personal 
courage and ability of a leader do not always decide 
a contest. There are many things which upset all 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 



human calculations. Shall I now place my own and 
my country's welfare upon the hazard of a die held 
in the hand of a man very dear to me, and yet 
mortal? " 

The King's face reddened as he said : " Is that 
your last word, brother-in-law ? " 

" By no means, my brother. Do not be angry 
with me," replied the Elector. Seizing the King's 
hand, he continued : " Would you look into the 
very depths of my soul ? Come with me." 

Both princes went into the garden house, where 
they remained for an hour. When they came out 
they came hand in hand. When they first met they 
coolly shook hands. At parting they embraced 
each other affectionately. The King rode back to 
camp and the Elector to the city. 

What did one of them say to the other at this 
meeting ? 

" I cannot blame my brother-in-law for hesitating 
hitherto to grant my wishes," said Gustavus Adol- 
phus. '' They are dangerous things which I ask." 

And the Elector said at the castle : " Who can 
withstand that magnificent man ? We have shown 
each other our inmost emotions. He is actuated by 
the feelings of injured honor, the safety of his em- 
pire, and above all else by his devotion to our faith. 
Fie is travelling a dangerous road. May God be his 
helper." 
[1 06] 



^t^ GARDEN HOUSE AT BERLIN ''' 



V4V"* 



Upon the afternoon of the same day Gustavus 
Adolphus entered BerHn with his army. In the 
evening a treaty was made between the Electorate 
of Brandenburg and Sweden. Spandau was given 
over anew to the Swedes, the opening of Ciistrin was 
promised in case of retreat, and thirty thousand 
thalers monthly was guaranteed for the support of 
the Swedish army. 



[107] 



Chapter XVIII 

At Wolgast 



m 



€L 



'^^ERRIBLE news spread over Germany in 
November, 1632. Gustavus Adolphus, 
the hero, but for whom Germany would 
have been a second Spain, was killed at 



the battle of Liitzen on the sixth of that month. 
The battle was won, but he paid for the victory 
with his life. They found the hero's body after the 
battle, plundered and trodden under foot, covered 
with blood and wounds, and lying face downward. 
It was taken in an ammunition wagon to the village 
of Menchen. From there it was carried in a simple 
casket to Weissenfels, where it was embalmed and 
thence was conveyed in solemn procession through 
Wittenberg to Wolgast. From there in the Spring 
of 1633 the Prince and his noble kinsmen accom- 
panied the coffin to the vessel which was to bear it 
home. 

The Prince Vv^as the first to meet the royal widow. 
When she saw him, she wrung her hands, went up 
to him weeping and em^braced him. Gradually she 
regained composure and began to speak of her hus- 
band. " You too, my Frederick," she said, " were 
[108] 



AT WOLGAST 



^V' 



►•»«• 



incladed in his plans. You are to be the inheritor 
of his power and the champion of Protestantism. 
He has also consigned to you a precious treasure, 
our little daughter Christine, heiress to the Swedish 
crown. He has confided her to your love and care. 
How often, especially since his death, have I thought 
of what he said at that time ! Alas ! he had then a 
presentim.ent that he would never return ! 1 can 
never forget his words. ' Do not imagine,' he said 
to the Diet, * that I enter upon this war impelled by 
common ambition. I venture all to release the 
Church from the domination of the Pope, and 
because I expect to accomplish it with divine assist- 
ance. I have many times fought for the welfare of 
the kingdom, and God has always saved me from 
death. But it cannot always be so, and at last I 
must give up my life. Therefore I commend you 
all to God, the Almighty, and hope that after this 
sorrowful life of trouble we may all meet again in 
the future in heaven.' " 

This and much more concerning her husband the 
Queen related to the Prince. One of the captains 
who had accompanied her to Wolgast, a German, 
had been in the battle of Liitzen. The Crown- 
prince requested his royal aunt to summon the man. 
"As you wish to learn of the battle from one who 
participated in it you shall meet the man — but not 

here, not now." 

[109] 



4^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

That evening the Crown-prince's parents arrived, 
also the Dukes of Mecklenburg, who owed the 
restoration of their dukedoms to the King. The 
meeting between the parents and the Prince was a 
most affectionate one. On the following day the 
escort for the King's body, which rested in a silver 
casket, accompanied it on board the ship. Cavalry 
and artillery bearing standards and banners captured 
at Liitzen marched in advance. The banners of 
Sweden were draped. Then came the hearse, drawn 
by eight horses with black velvet trappings. The 
Elector George William as the nearest mourner, 
followed on foot, accompanied by the two Dukes of 
Mecklenburg. The Crown-prince followed as 
second mourner, accompanied by the Pomeranian 
embassy. A long train of mourners succeeded them 
and closed the procession, all heavily burdened with 
anxiety as they reflected upon the future. Solemnly 
it moved to the harbor. The precious remains of 
the King were placed on board, and amid the 
booming of cannon the vessel weighed anchor. 



[no] 



Chapt 



er XIX 

In Holland 



n 



"^^ HE progress of our narrative brings us to 
the neighborhood of Arnheim in Hol- 
land. On a canal, a few miles from that 
city, we meet a boat being towed along. 



It resembles a barge, is about sixteen to twenty feet 
in length and ten feet in width, and is divided into 
two sections. The forward section is intended for 
freight and second-class passengers ; and the rear 
one, a handsomely painted cabin, for first-class. It 
contains a table and cushioned seats under the win- 
dows. The boat is drawn by a number of horses 
attached to a long line fastened to the top of the 
mast. A boy rides one of the horses at an easy trot 
along the towpath. 

In the rear section we see a lad of strong figure, 
fresh face, and beaming eyes. He is sitting near the 
sternpost the better to see the landscape, and per- 
haps also to talk with the helmsman. His dress 
shov/s him of high rank. There are two persons in 
the cabin. One of them, a large man of noble ap- 
pearance, sits near the door and often watches the 

[III] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

ladj as he converses with the little old man sitting 
near him. These two persons are the Electoral 
Prince of Brandenburg, Frederick William, and 
Baron Leuchtmar. 

Before the narrative proceeds further we must 
once more look back a little. Five years have 
elapsed since the funeral ceremony at Wolgast. 
From that place his parents took the Prince to 
Stettin, where they left him with the old Duke 
Bogislav the Fourteenth. He remained two years 
among the brave, true-hearted Pomeranians, study- 
ing the people, their form of government, the agri- 
cultural and maritime affairs. During this time he 
made great progress in the art of fencing and in 
many departments of scientific education. In his 
fifteenth year he spoke and wrote Latin, French, 
and Polish besides his mother tongue, and at last 
the Elector decided to send him to the world- 
famous University of Ley den in Holland. Schwar- 
zenberg made objections. There was not sufficient 
money in the Elector's coffers to pay the expenses 
of such a journey. All the more determined v/as 
the so-called Swedish party that he should go ; and 
at last the Electoress overcame Schwarzenberg's 
objections by providing thirty thousand thalers from 
her own savings. It did not seem any burden to 
the mother so long as it secured the safety and the 
highest possible education of her son. 

[112] 



m IN HOLLAND ^^ 



For three years the Prince has been in Holland. He 
has temporarily left Leyden, where a pestilence is rag- 
ing. For several days he has been journeying about, 
for he is anxious not alone to acquire an education, 
but also to study the people with whom he is living. 

The boat stops at a village and the passengers go 
ashore. The village is a model of Dutch cleanli- 
ness. The neatly built houses, mostly one story 
in height, are handsomely painted, and the paint is 
always kept fresh. The mirror-like windows are 
closely hung with snow-white curtains. There is a 
little garden in front of every house. The pave- 
ments consist of small red and blue tiles so laid 
that they resemble the pattern of a Turkish carpet. 
No filth is permitted to remain upon the streets. 
They are thoroughly washed and sprinkled with 
white sand and sometimes with flowers. No cow or 
horse is allowed to stray about. They are all kept 
in stalls in the rear of the houses. Not only the 
wooden implements in the houses, but the gates, 
the trellises, and posts in the fields against which the 
cattle rub themselves are painted, and some of 
the latter have carved work at the top. Every 
house has two doors, one at the rear for ordinarv 
outgoing and incoming, the other being used as the 
principal entrance, and opened only upon the occa- 
sion of christenings, marriages, and funerals. This 
door, the pride of the owner, is covered with 
8 [113] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4t§ 

carving and here and there gilded. Flowers grow 
luxuriously in the gardens. The tops of the trees 
are cut off and the trunks smeared with white paint. 
This description will give the reader a picture of a 
Dutch village of that time as well as of the well-to-do 
condition of the people. 

After our travellers had drunk some good beer 
and eaten a lobster, they hired horses and were 
soon on their way to Arnheim, a servant who was 
to bring the horses back following them. The 
nearer they came to the city the more delightful 
was the country, which began to look like a large 
garden. Although there were no rocky heights, the 
high dikes which rose along the way, the multitude 
of country seats, mansions, and towers, the beau- 
tiful groups of trees in the fields and meadows 
and upon the edges of the streams, varied the land- 
scape continually and presented pictures worthy of 
the brush of the greatest painter. Cities, villages, 
castles with their luxurious surroundings, country 
houses of every style of architecture with handsome 
gardens, boundless grassy meadows with herds of 
cattle, lakes which had been made by peat-cutters, 
countless islands upon which long reeds were culti- 
vated as thatch for the houses, serving also as 
homes for great flocks of waterfowl, — such was 
the panorama which met the eyes of the Prince. 

The life of the Prince in this richly blest country 
["4] 



^ IN HOLLAND # 



was permanently influenced by it. His love of art 
and science was developed and he gained greatly in 
knowledge of State affairs and the ways of the world 
from his intercourse with Dutch statesmen, buro-h- 
ers, and peasants. It was of the highest signifi- 
cance also in relation to the future that he studied 
the plans and schemes of the great Prince of Orange. 
The army of this man was still a nursery of field- 
marshals and naval ofHcers. 

The Prince and Leuchtmar at last reached 
Arnheim. The Prince occupied a beautiful country 
house in the suburbs. Let us go with the Prince 
to the house while Leuchtmar is otherwise engaged. 
The entrance is paved with white marble, covered 
with a carpet and bordered with veined marble to 
the height of four feet. The Prince enters a lofty 
apartment on the right. The fireplace is of black 
marble with a broad mirror above it. Upon the 
wall surrounded by chaplets are half-length por- 
traits of the Elector George William and his wife. 
Weapons of various kinds are also suspended among 
the pictures. A dark polished table, vvith chairs 
placed by it, and a bookcase are the only furniture in 
the room. As soon as the Prince has changed his 
dress he takes his diary and notes down his recollec- 
tions of the trip. Ever since Leuchtmar's talks the 
Prince had devoted himself assiduously to this diary. 
All the more unfortunate is it that it has been lost. 



Chapter XX 
In the Park 



^ f N the vicinity of Arnheim, at Rehnen, dwelt 
the clever and once so beautiful Elizabeth, 
daughter of King James the First of England, 
rLk who still called herself Queen of Bohemia and 
Electoress of the Palatinate. Her country house 
stood in a handsome park. The last hopes of her 
husband, Frederick the Fifth, disappeared with the 
death of Gustavus Adolphus. Shortly after the 
nev/s came he was stricken down with an illness 
v/hich proved fatal. Both the oldest sons of the 
Electoress, the Prince, subsequently the Elector 
Carl Ludwig, and Prince Rupert, who was a year 
older than the Electoral Prince Frederick William, 
had been fellow-students with him at Leyden and in 
daily intercourse with him. They were now spend- 
ing a short time with their mother in Rehnen. Be- 
sides these, the Electoress had a younger son. Prince 
Moritz, and two daughters. Princess Henrietta, who 
was so well educated that in her nineteenth year 
she engaged in arguments with Dutch scholars, 
and Princess Louise, who was sprightlier by nature 

and had a special talent in painting. 
[1.6] 



^Ik T N.T T^ tJ 17 D A r> l^ ^J^ 



m IN THE PARK 



While the Prince was living in Arnheim it was his 
custom to ride over to Rehnen every afternoon and 
make a call of a few hours, returning at dusk. One 
day, as he approached Rehnen, he was informed by 
the porter to whom he gave his horse that he 
would find the Electoress with the princes and 
princesses in the pavilion at the lower end of the 
park. In the middle of the park he reached a 
garden ornamented with marble statuary. From 
this point he saw his princely relatives. The green 
doors and windows of the pavilion in which they 
were sitting were open, so that the sunshine and per- 
fume of the garden found their way into it. His 
cousins saw him coming and advanced to meet him, 
and the Electoress and princesses greeted him affec- 
tionately upon the estrade. 

The time passed in animated conversation. It 
was the dearest wish of the Electoress to secure the 
heir of Brandenburg for her son-in-law. The pleas- 
ure of the conversation, however, was soon seriously 
marred. The Princess Henrietta asked if Wallen- 
stein had not actually attempted to secure the crown 
of Bohemia. The Princess Louise maintained that 
he had. " I look with a shudder," said she, " into 
the dark, bottomless abyss of that man's soul. 
Despicable ambitions rage there. Selfishness charac- 
terizes every mortal more or less, but he had no 
other impelling motive. All love in his nature was 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 



destroyed by it, and where there is no love one be- 
comes a fiend. What were Luther, the Pope, or 
Calvin to him! He made no account of them. 
His own person was all he cared for. Many a 
time I have said ' He is Satan incarnate ! ' " 

" And yet," remarked the Eiectoress, " his faith 
in the stars — " 

" Superstition," replied the Princess. 

"I will not dispute with you about the v/ord," 
replied the Electoral Prince. " But you must con- 
cede one thing : Fie sought to read his fate in 
the position of the stars. He believed that every- 
thing which happened to him was written there, 
and he tried to read the writing. To that ex- 
tent he acknowledged the power which governs the 
stars." 

" Then in reality his superstition was an evidence 
of his faith," said the Eiectoress. "Then if he 
sometimes fell into a fanaticism, which sprung from 
his belief in his favorite science, we are bound to 
excuse him. Do you mean that ? " 

" Not entirely," replied Frederick William. " In 
part he was a fanatic ; but besides this there was 
much of evil in him, and when that evil took pos- 
session of his nature it destroyed everything before 
It. 

The Princess Henrietta replied : " There is 
nothing upon earth which interests me so much as 
[ii8] 



# IN THE PARK ^ 



the human soul. The famous botanist Kluit at 
Leyden analyzes an object and examines its organ- 
ism and structure with the microscope. I would 
Hke to have an instrument which would so disclose 
the soul of Wallenstein that I might look into its 
lowest depths. What a picture it would reveal to 
my gaze 1 " 

" Sister," said the Princess Louise, " I agree with 
you. Many years have passed, but 1 clearly re- 
member that for a long time I could not rid my- 
self of the picture of the dying Wallenstein by day 
or night. The door is burst open by the hired 
assassin. There he stands in the middle of his 
chamber, an apparition in his white night-dress. 
The assassin trembles for an instant. Then pluck- 
ing up courage he rushes upon Wallenstein and 
pierces him with his knife. Silently and with out- 
stretched arms he receives his death-wound. Not a 
word ! not a sound ! He expires in silence ! What 
a monstrous spectacle ! But I will desist, for our 
Rupert is again growing angry.' ' 

It was true, but Rupert only said : " Not yet, 
sister ! But I think you ought not to make such an 
ado about a murderous soul. In the end you may 
sympathize with that wretch as well as with Maxi- 
milian, who took away our inheritance without a 
stinor of conscience." 

The Electoress grew visibly pale. It was always 

[■'9] 



4^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

so when she heard the name of the man who had 
defeated her husband*s army at Prague. 

The oldest Prince, desirous of pacifying his 
brother, who was somewhat impetuous and out- 
breaking, said : " Now I will say a word for the 
sisters who have often expressed themselves as to 
Maximilian. I may not repeat what they said here, 
but I remember it. Believe me as to one thing:. 
Had no battle been fought at Prague and had not 
Maximilian usurped our birthright, I should still 
have despised him from the bottom of my soul and 
ranked him far below Wallenstein. How basely he 
acted ! He first suggested his removal. Then when 
Gustavus Adolphus had driven him into straits, he 
whined like a dog at Wallenstein's door and begged 
for protection and assistance. But hardly is Gus- 
tavus Adolphus gone when he again begins his 
machinations, and continues them until Wallenstein 
is killed by an assassin." 

" Do you seriously mean, cousin," said the Elec- 
toral Prince, " that Maximilian was the only cause 
of Wallenstein's murder ? " 

" Not the only one, but the principal one." 

Prince Ludwig now spoke : "I do not believe 

it. Maximilian had a hand in the game, but the 

Emperor is mainly responsible. What a weak 

successor the Emperor's oldest son will prove ! " 

" He is only nominally commander-in-chief of the 
[120] 



^§ IN THE PARK ^^ 



army. The real leader is Gallas, and he has learned 
from his great predecessors. It almost seemed as if 
Tilly or Pappenheim were again leading the Impe- 
rialists, so bravely did they fight at Nordlingen, 
where Marshal Franz Horn was captured." 

"This is also an inestimable loss for our side," 
said the Electoress with a sigh. " With my own ears 
I have heard Gustavus Adolphus call him his right 
hand. As long as the Swedes had a Marshal 
Franz Horn and a Chancellor Oxenstjern they de- 
cided to continue the war against the Emperor and 
the League. But Horn has been languishing in 
prison for several years." 

" Twenty years," began Prince Ludwig, " the war 
has already lasted. If the Elector of Saxony did not 
continually temporize, possibly some settlement 
might be reached, but that vacillating gentleman 
thinks only of his own advantage. The Protestant 
cause has been left in the lurch. He does not con- 
sider our rights in treaties of peace with the Emperor. 
But the enraged Swedes now in his country will pay 
him off." 

The Electoress folded her hands. " May the 
Almighty," she sighed, " soon bring peace to the 
German Empire and restore us our rights ! " 

Prince Ludwig replied : " Mother, we three must 
also play some part upon the stage of war. There 
is still much remaining to be done." 

[.21] 



*?«. 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR m 

The wild Rupert exclaimed : " Even if peace could 
be made, I would not have it so until I have done 
something in the field." 

The Electoral Prince said nothing, but his look 
and manner showed how ardently he longed to take 
part in the struggle. 

The Elector of Brandenburg had agreed to the 
treaty of peace which had been concluded between 
the Emperor and the Elector of Saxony. That the 
Electoress of the Palatinate as well as her sons and 
daughters were dissatisfied may well be imagined. 
But up to this time nothing had been said of his 
father's politics in the presence of the Electoral 
Prince. But now Prince Rupert broke out : " The 
Electors by this treaty with the Emperor have proved 
traitors to a good cause." 

The Electoral Prince rose and with flashing eyes 
passionately exclaimed : " Cousin, woe to you or 
me, if I have heard ^ aright ! " 

The rest of the company were alarmed. They were 
familiar with Rupert's wildness and impetuosity, but 
now they had experienced Frederick William's reso- 
luteness and passionate sense of honor. 

" Dear cousin," said Ludwig, " our brother only 
refers to the Elector of Saxony." 

The mother and the princesses confirmed the 

statement and demanded of Prince Rupert by look 

and action that he should agree with them. 
[122] 



# IN THE PARK # 



vt«» 



He remained silent, and his manner caused the 
apprehension that he was disinclined to answer his 
cousin. His mother's look, however, had such 
power over him that he overmastered his furious 
temper. He said : " Far be it from me to tarnish 
your father's honor with a breath from my mouth." 

The Prince was outwardly satisfied with the ex- 
planation. Political conversation was dropped, and 
they talked about The Hague, which the Electoral 
Prince was going to visit during the next few days. 

In the bright moonlight Frederick William rode 
back to Arnheim. 



[123] 



Chapter XXI 
Sweden's Revenge 



A- — I p=^HERE had been many changes in Bran- 
denburg. They feared the Swedes now 
as greatly as they had once feared the 
J V. Emperor's army. The cause of this will 
be found in the following statement : 

At the beginning of the year 1637 Emperor 
Ferdinand the Second died, and his successor, Ferdi- 
nand the Third, exhibited a friendly attitude toward 
Brandenburg. In March of the same year Bogislav 
the Fourteenth died childless, and Brandenburg 
made preparations to enforce certain rights in Pom- 
erania which were provided in the treaty. Its most 
important cities at the timie were beset by Swedish 
troops. Sweden also asserted certain claims in the 
dukedom, which it would not yield until it was as- 
sured of ample indemnity for the great sacrifices it 
had made in maintaining the good cause. When 
George William summoned Stettin to take the oath 
of allegiance, the Swedish commander Banner was 
so infuriated that he ordered the herald bearing the 
summons to be hanged. It was only by the greatest 
[124] 



% SWEDEN'S REVENGE % 



exertions that the Duchess-widow saved the poor 
man's life. 

This proceeding induced the Elector to agree to 
the treaty which had been made between the Em- 
peror and the Elector of Saxony. The Emperor 
expressly declared his readiness to support the 
Elector in his efforts to obtain a settlement in 
Pomerania, with all the necessary means. Shortly 
thereafter the Brandenburg troops, acting with the 
Imperialists under Gallas, invaded Pomerania. At 
first the Swedes were driven back, but after they had 
received reinforcements of fourteen thousand men 
from home the fortunes of war changed, and they 
drove the Brandenburgers and Imperialists before 
them. The unfortunate people of Brandenburg 
suffered unspeakably at the hands of their former 
friends who believed that they had been treacherous, 
and for that reason became their bitter enemies. 
Their former troubles were light in comparison with 
those growing out of Sweden's revenge. Although 
the main army was removed to the south, Branden- 
burg continued to suffer from the depredations of 
small detachments. 



[125] 



Chapter XXII 

The Prince's Flight 




'HILE the campaigns of Banner in Bo- 
hemia and of the heroic Bernhard von 
Weimar upon the Rhine were in prog- 
ress, George William summoned the 
Electoral Prince from Holland. The court resi- 
dence was removed from Berlin to the strong fortress 
of Spandau. The Prince arrived there with Leucht- 
mar and Miiller, whose functions had ceased. The 
jovial and patriotic Colonel von Burgsdorf was also 
there. Speaking of the Prince, and the events of 
the day upon one occasion when Leuchtmar was 
visiting Burgsdorf, the former said: "The Prince 
would have been in Elolland to-day had it not 
been for him." (Leuchtmar made three crosses in 
the air.) 

" Schwarzenberg ! Yes, he sits upon our necks 
like the Evil One himself! They say he can do 
anything he wishes with the Elector. He has even 
asserted that the Prince must marry a Catholic lady. 
And whom do you suppose he has in mind ? The 

Archduchess Isabella Clara. The Elector knows 
[126] 



^^ THE PRINCE'S FLIGHT # 

nothing about it as yet, but Schwarzenberg believes 
the Prince will be greatly pleased." 

Leuchtmar smiled. " If he thinks the Prince can 
be moulded and pressed to suit his pleasure he is 
mistaken. There are surely few young men of his 
age who show an equal force of character. Here is 
one example out of many. In The Hague, as you 
well knov/, there are many young and distinguished 
people, sons of princes, counts, and others. A 
clear-headed man can learn much from association 
with them, while a frivolous man would only learn 
things destructive of body and soul alike. When I 
received the letter requesting me to take the Prince 
to The Hague I implored divine help to keep his 
life blameless. The Prince surprised me reading it 
and asked what troubled me. I told him frankly 
what disquieted me, and that in my trouble I had 
sought divine assistance. The Prince, deeply moved, 
took my hand and said that he would always heed 
my admonitions. I was consoled for a time, but 
anxiety returned when we arrived at The Hague 
and I thought of the young men who would be his 
associates. Many of them had been to Paris. I 
knew the Prince's strength of character but I feared 
the insidious temptations to which he might be ex- 
posed. I had no outward way of protecting him. 
What power can a governor have over a nineteen- 
year-old prince ? But he is not a hypocrite, I can 

[127] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4^ 

tell you. He likes jolly company and a beaker of 
good wine, and he is very jovial. These young 
gentlemen of the Paris school were in the habit of 
giving suppers at which some handsome but not 
very reputable young women were present. Think 
of it ! And to one of these suppers the Prince was 
invited." 

" I should like to have wrung the necks of those 
who invited him ! '* exclaimed the Colonel. 

" Listen further. The Prince went to the desig- 
nated place with young Von Loewen, from whom I 
learned the particulars. At first he could not trust 
his own eyes. But when he was convinced of the 
kind of company he had fallen into, he took his hat 
and indignantly left the place." 

Interrupting the Baron, Burgsdorf exclaimed, 
" Did the Prince do that.? " 

"Why should you doubt it?" replied Leucht- 
mar. "He did still more. Some of these sons of 
princes and counts sprang up, and followed him, 
seized him by the arm and hand and tried to induce 
him to stay. But he shook them off and said : 
' You may justify yourselves in what you are do- 
ing; but I know what I owe to my parents, to my 
country, and to myself.* " 

Burgsdorf vainly strove to keep back the tears. 

Pacing the floor to and fro he exclaimed, " Lord, 

my God, he is every inch a prince. If he were my 
[128] 



^ THE PRINCESS FLIGHT # 

child I would love him to death — that old ass — 
but what am I saying ? He is the Electoral Prince, 
and will he not be my Prince every day ? Whom 
have we to thank for such a Prince, whom else 
than — " 

"Than God," replied Leuchtmar. 

" Yes," replied the Colonel ; " your first thanks 
for everything are due to Him. But we also have 
to thank you for your judicious course, excellent 
man. Believe me, if Frederick William turns out 
to be a great prince, your name will not be forgot- 
ten. And should a thankless posterity forget him, 
he will not be forgotten by God. Of one thing I 
am sure, the Prince himself will be grateful to you 
as long as he lives." 

"He has already more than repaid me for my 
efforts," replied Leuchtmar. " I will show you in 
the morning a deed of gift v/hich I lately received 
from the Prince. But be seated. I have not yet 
finished what I wish to say. A few days after this 
incident, the Prince left The Hague." 

" Why ? Did he fear that sometime he might 
yield to temptation ? " 

" It may be. But where did he go ? Can you 
guess ? To the camp. The Prince of Orange was 
investing Breda at the time. He offered his ser- 
vices to him, and there he had daily experience in 
the art of war under the eyes of distinguished field 

9 [1^9] 



# YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

officers. When Orange learned the cause of his 
flight from The Hague, he said to him : ' My 
Prince, your flight displays more heroic spirit than 
the taking of Breda will do. He who can con- 
quer himself so early will always be great.' " 

Their further conversation was devoted to mat- 
ters in Holland. 



[130] 



Chapter XXIII 

The Message 




|OUNT SCHWARZENBERG gave a 
banquet in honor of the Prince, who ac- 
cepted the invitation, although he had no 
_ sympathy with the Count, because his 
father desired him to do so. A sudden illness 
seized him at the table and he was taken home 
very sick. On the next day he felt better and soon 
recovered. It was whispered among the people 
that an attempt had been made to poison him. 
The Electoral Prince, they said, is the only sur- 
vivor of his family who can enter upon the in- 
heritance, and Schwarzenberg is the Emperor's 
favorite. Two other stories were also circulated. 
A man was said to have been discovered under 
the Prince's bed with a dagger. It was also said 
that an attempt had been made upon his life 
while he was hunting. These and similar stories 
passed from mouth to mouth, which had the ef- 
fect to make the people more uncomfortable and 
wretched. At last the citizens of Berlin and Coin 
decided to send a message to the Prince. It read 
as follows : 

[•30 



^I'^ 



H YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR i 

" It is well known how greatly the country has 
been weakened and wasted by friend and foe, and 
that many oflicers have been sumptuously enter- 
tained though they had no commands, and have 
been paid large salaries, while under-officers and 
soldiers have had but scanty allowances and have 
been wretched and hungry. The outrages of the 
Elector's troopers have been so monstrous that 
neither horse, cow, ox, nor man was safe from 
them ; and for that reason tillage in the best local- 
ities has been abandoned. Business has stopped ; 
cities, towns, and villages are deserted, and for 
miles you will find neither men nor cattle nor 
even a dog or a cat. In spite of all this, heavy 
tribute has been levied and collected by military 
force. They have taken houses, farms, gardens, 
fields, and vineyards, and given them to officers 
who were exempt from levies. Berlin has paid 
immense sums mionthly for the support of the 
Elector's troops, and Coin in proportion. The 
Swedes under Colonel von Debitz, after the Elec- 
tor's troops had abandoned the roads to Landsberg, 
Frankfort, and Purstenwald, and left everything 
in the greatest disorder, invaded the residences 
and stripped them of almost everything. Mer- 
chants, tradespeople, and travellers were robbed of 
their goods and property. Villages lay in ashes. 
The town-house servants, church and school teach- 
[132] 



^ THE MESSAGE ^ 

ers have not been paid. In short, Berlin and Coin 
have been reduced to poverty by fire, robbery, 
and oppression. Many have put an end to their 
wretched lives by water, the rope, or the knife ; 
while others, taking wives and children, have for- 
saken their homes and are wandering about in 
wretched plight." 

Burgsdorf handed this message to the Prince on 
the forenoon of the day it was received. He hoped 
that he would graciously receive the message, meet 
his friends, consult with them about the condition 
of the country, settle upon some plan of action for 
its relief, and afterwards lay it before the Elector, 
and especially insist upon Schwarzenberg's dismissal. 
But Burgsdorf had greatly deceived himself. The 
Prince, whose motto was the words of the Psalm 
" Lord, show me the way that 1 must go," had 
decided upon his homeward journey the position he 
would take at the Electoral Court. After reading 
the message he looked earnestly at Burgsdorf and 
said : " You knov/ the story of Absalom, how he 
sat by the gate and did obeisance to all who came 
nigh to the King for judgment and stole the hearts 
of the men of Israel. Do you think these stories 
are unknown to me ? I know also the story in 
which we are told how David met Saul, who v/ould 
have killed him in the cave, and how some of 
David's friends bade him kill Saul. You ought to 

[133] 



^ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

know these stories ; but better still you ought to 
understand that mere knowing is of little use. ' Be 
it far from me/ said David, ' to lay my hand upon 
the Lord's anointed/ You seem astonished that 1 
have referred to these past events. You certainly 
do not desire to make an attempt upon the life of 
the Prince of this country. But 1 say to you, ' Far 
be it from me to stretch out my hand against the 
country's anointed,' so take back the message. If 
my father seeks my advice, my word for the good 
cause shall not be lacking, so far as God gives me 
the power to perceive what is right." 



[134] 



Chapter XXIV 

Mother und Son 




N the same day the Prince talked with 
his mother about the events we have 
described, and at last they spoke of 
Schwarzenberg, whom they equally dis- 
liked. "When he entered our service/' said the 
Electoress, " he was poor ; now he is rich. Indeed 
he has a larger private fortune than we. Tell me 
of any good thing he has done. It is an indelible 
stain upon him that he has enriched himself while 
the people have sunk with utter wretchedness through 
hunger, war, and pestilence. A man who can do 
such a thing is capable of any meanness or villainy. 
I believe, my son, that he is in the pay of the Em- 
peror's party. But God watches over us. They 
maintain in Vienna that your father is far less sharp- 
sighted than he really is. The fools ! With the 
good Catholic Schwarzenberg at the head of Protes- 
tant Brandenburg no wonder they have high expec- 
tations at the court of Vienna. But wisdom and 
intelligence on the Spree and the Havel are perhaps 
even stronger than on the Danube. Let them con- 

[^35] 



41 YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR # 

tinue to believe that Schwarzenberg will accomplish 
his purpose ; let them keep up their delusion as to 
this crafty, egotistical, covetous, corruptible man ! 
The Elector, gentle, sick, and heroic in endurance, 
is wiser, or at least as wise, as any of these gentleman, 
who think they have him entrapped. It is little 
matter to him what the Count wishes. Would you 
leave him in the service of the State if your father 
to-day should place the cares of government upon 
your shoulders ? *' 

"God will guide me," replied the Prince. 

" But if it should become necessary, then certainly 
you would dismiss the Count immediately, as he has 
discharged Pruckmann and others because they have 
opposed the Emperor's politics." 

" No, Mother, out of respect to my father I 
could not discharge him at once. That would be 
looked upon by the people as a reproach against 
my father. But I would not endure him long." 

" My dear son, by these words you show me that 
you recognize filial duty and that you are ready to 
perform it. God's blessing will be upon you for it. 
When I look into your eyes, my son, something 
tells me your politics will not be those of your 
father. In your nature there is a resolute deter- 
mination which is lacking in your father's. The 
times need men of iron. Anvil and hammer! 
That is the watchword of our time. 
[136] 



Chapter XXV 
The Great Elector 



n 



^^^HE Elector was announced. Mother and 
son rose and went to meet him. He had 
suffered for years in one foot, and for a 
short time in the other, so that he could 



not walk and had to be taken about in a roll-chair. 
Upon the face of the broken-down man one could 
read the sorrowful history of his twenty years' rule. 
" My son," began the Elector, " I learn from 
Schwarzenberg that you have sent back a message 
of the Berlinese. I understand you, my son, and 
declare to you now that I would gladly listen to any 
suggestion from you bearing upon the welfare of the 
country. It is time, my son, for you to live here, 
that you may become acquainted with the hard 
duties of ruling a country. Who knows whether 
the Almighty may not soon call me hence ? I long 
for the rest, for I am tired, so tired ! Come here, 
my son, and sit by my side, for I would speak with 
you from the bottom of my heart. And you too, 
dearest wife, who have shared joys and sorrows with 
me, — there have not been many joys, — sit at my 



m YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR f^ 

side and be a witness to the words I shall speak to 
the future ruler of this country. Give me your 
hands ! 

" My son, for more than twenty years the war has 
raged between Catholics and Protestants, and there 
is not a country in Europe which has suffered as 
much as our own possessions, Brandenburg, Prussia, 
and Cleves. My son, I will look calmly back upon 
my life and try to speak without prejudice. I have 
turned my attention from worldly to eternal matters. 
Why should I seek worldly glory, I, who am so soon 
to stand before the judgment seat of God? Had I 
had the heroic character of Gustavus Adolphus, 
surely, surely things might have been different. But 
it would have been difficult even for him, whose de- 
voted courage led him to his death, to be a soldier as 
well as a Brandenburg prince; for the very things 
necessary to a soldier's success — a full treasury, and 
a great, valiant army — would have been lacking. 

" Many will say, ^ Why could they not have been 
secured? ' My son, glance with me at my life and 
then decide. Difficulties were piled upon difficulties. 
I could hardly move, there were so many obstacles 
in my way. (Had it not been for you, dear wife, I 
should long ago have been only dust and ashes. 
You were my stay and staff.) Almost everything 
which happened to our house so weighed down my 
soul that it was not possible to rise above it. I had 
[>38] 



^^ THE GREAT ELECTOR ^ 

to secure your safety and education far away from 
me. You know what happened to your mother's 
brother. Shortly afterwards the Emperor's ban 
stripped one of my father's uncles, Duke Johann 
George, of his dukedom, and me and my house of 
all claims upon it. Then another brother of my 
father. Margrave Christian Wilhelm, administrator of 
the Archbishopric of Magdeburg, was outlawed and 
driven from his country and people. My brother, 
Joachim Sigismund, whom I appointed before 
Schwarzenberg as Minister of Brandenburg, escaped 
only by his courage from death by fire, and died at 
a time when he was most needed. Then my usually 
excellent mother still further increased my troubles 
by helping to aggravate the bitterness of the Luth- 
erans against the Reformers. You will agree with 
me, my son, that such things are not calculated to 
fill the heart with fresh courage. 

" Notwithstanding all this I had no intention of 
letting things go as they might. I strove to create 
an army, but the money was not to be had, as I have 
said. The acquisition of Prussia and the Cleves 
Rhineland imposed tremendous burdens, and besides 
this, the country was burdened with a load of debt. 
In a period of undisturbed peace the country might 
pay its obligations in twenty or thirty years, but in 
a time of the greatest exhaustion the greatest sacri- 
fices had to be made. The provinces were so hard 

[^9] 



4P YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR m 

to please and so penurious and reluctant to make 
grants of money, that any chance of energetic action 
in my time was nipped in the bud. The country 
continually grew poorer from year to year. Perhaps 
another, standing in my relations to the provinces 
at the time when there was possible hope of relief, 
might have acted more resolutely than I did and 
have accomplished some results. I can believe it, 
and yet I could not do otherwise while I, as a fol- 
lower of the Reformed religion, had almost the 
entire population against me. 

" But suppose the Protestant cause at the very 
beginning of the war had not induced the Emperor 
to renounce me ? I sometimes ask myself this 
question, my son, and surely it should often occur to 
you. Think about it. The war began in Bohemia, 
then under the rule of my poor cousin Frederick. 
He belonged to the Reformed Church. What 
sympathy did we show for him ? His overthrow 
was desired by the Lutherans and by nearly all 
the people of the country. Not a finger could be 
raised in his behalf without it being the signal for an 
uproar. 

" Then came our cousin Christian of Denmark 

with a strong army. My son, I knew him. I will 

not inveigh against him, far from it. But could I 

rely upon him ? I could not and dared not. ' If 

everything prospers,* I said to myself, * our nearest 
[140] 



# THE GREAT ELECTOR 4i^ 

inheritance, the dukedom of Pomerania, will be in 
danger of being swallowed up by Denmark. If 
everything goes badly, then Denmark will make a 
good peace and will be the bitter enemy of its own 
allies/ Has not Denmark treated another country 
in that manner? The Dukes of Mecklenburg could 
sing you a song about broken faith. 

" Next appears Gustavus Adolphus. He was 
then fighting the Poles. You know about our rights 
in Prussia. We had obtained it as a fief from Po- 
land. Great was our danger of losing it. When 
Gustavus Adolphus made peace with the Poles our 
circumstances were more favorable. But when he 
came to Germany at the head of an army as the 
Emperor's enemy, I hesitated about joining him and 
had many serious scruples. His army, when he 
landed on the coast of Pomerania, numbered scarcely 
fifteen thousand men. I said to myself, ^ If my 
brother-in-law fails, then he must retreat, and the 
experiences of his brother-in-law Frederick and the 
Dukes of Mecklenburg will be repeated. The Em- 
peror will outlaw him and divide up the country 
among his favorites.' 

" At last it became painful to me to see the Ger- 
man Empire invaded by a stranger, and the thought 
of offering him assistance was intolerable. The vic- 
torious advance of the God-fearing and trusting 
King at last irresistibly appealed to me and all my 

[hi] 



$$ YOUTH OF GREAT ELECTOR 4^ 

apprehensions vanished. Urged from within and 
without^ I joined him. Now came the only time in 
my regent-pilgrimage when I could breathe freely, — 
but, alas, only for a short time. 'The Star of the 
North ' aroused hopes for better times in my breast 
— even more, belief in them. But the Star was ex- 
tinguished all too soon on the bloody field of 
Liitzen." 

The Elector paused. His long talk and perhaps 
the recalling of so much that was sorrowful had 
greatly overcome him. 

"My dearest husband," said the Electoress, "this 
is enough of these painful memories for to-day." 

" Just a few words more, true wife, my staff and 
consolation in times of trouble. You and my son 
are the only joys I have known, the only joys I 
shall know in my dying hour." 

Tears glistened in all their eyes. The Electoress 
stroked his emaciated cheeks with a pale, trembling 
hand. 

With a deep sigh he resumed : " Ah ! what a 

mournful picture my rule from the first to the last 

year calls up ! Death will soon lay his hand upon 

my heart, and already my grave opens to receive me. 

And what do I see all about me? The country 

wasted by the hand of enemy and friend as no other 

country in Europe has been ! A churchyard of 

mouldering corpses ! Oh, horrible sight ! And 
[142] 



$^ THE GREAT ELECTOR §^ 

this is the legacy which I must make to my brave 
and pious son ! My God ! " He hid his face. 

• ••••••• 

Shortly after this scene the Elector, whose gentle 
heart was not made for such times of iron and who 
surely would have been blest by his people in 
peaceful times, passed away. 

In his twentieth year the Electoral Prince Fred- 
erick William took the reins of power. His prov- 
inces were partly in the hands of the Swedes, who 
had changed them into a wilderness, in which villages 
were traced only by their ashes, and cities by rubbish 
and ruins. The dukedoms of Cleves had been 
robbed by Spaniards and Dutch, who levied un- 
heard-of tribute and plundered them while pretend- 
ing to protect them. Prussia, which had previously 
been invaded by Gustavus Adolphus, still suffered 
from the wounds which had been inflicted during 
this war. In such desperate circumstances — his 
inheritance invaded by many princes ; Ruler, with- 
out possession of his own provinces ; Elector, with- 
out the authority of one ; Ally, without friends, — 
Frederick William began his reign ; and in his early 
youth, at the age when errors are most likely to be 
made, and when men find it difficult to rule even 
themselves, he furnished an example of extraordinary 
wisdom and of all those virtues which fit one to rule 
mankind. 

[H3] 



^n^tjT 



The following is a chronological statement of the princi- 
pal events in Germany and elsewhere during the youth of 
the Great Elector : 

1619 George William becomes Elector of Brandenburg. 

16 19 Frederick the Fifth elected Emperor of Bohemia. 

1620 Birth of Frederick William, the Great Elector. 

1620 Frederick the Fifth defeated at White Mountain and 
deposed. 

1622 Tilly victorious at Wimpfen. 

1623 Maximilian of Bavaria made Elector. 

1625 Christian the Fourth of Denmark becomes Protestant leader. 

1626 Tilly defeats Christian the Fourth at Lutter. 
1626 Wallenstein defeats Count von Mansfeld. 

1628 Siege ofStralsund. 

1629 Frederick issues Restitutions Edict. 

1630 Wallenstein dismissed. 

1630 Gustavus Adolphus becomes Protestant leader. 
163 I Tilly storms Magdeburg. 

1 63 1 Victory of Gustavus Adolphus at Breitenfeld. 

1632 Death of Gustavus Adolphus at Lutzen. 
1634. Murder of Wallenstein. 

1635 Treaty between Saxony and Frederick. 
1637 Death of Ferdinand the Second. 

1640 Death of George William and accession of the Great 
Elector. 



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